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Watch: Son Heung-min’s joy at winning Asian Games to avoid military service

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min will avoid military service after helping South Korea beat Japan 2-1 to win the Asian Games final on Saturday.

All able-bodied South Korean men are required to complete 21 months of military service before the age of 28 – but exceptions are made for those who win an Olympic medal or the Asian Games for their country.

It means 26-year-old Son, who captained the team as one of the permitted over-age players in the under-23 competition, will be free to continue playing in the Premier League for Spurs, having signed a new five-year contract in the summer.

Lee Seung-woo and Hwang Hee-chan put South Korea 2-0 up in extra-time after a goalless 90 minutes before Japan pulled one back through Ueda Ayase.

Son was substituted in the dying moments to eat up some valuable seconds, and his joy was clear to see when the final whistle went as he burst into tears and raced onto the pitch to embrace goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo.


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