Sang-Moon Bae to resist military service

• Korean golfer to fight return to homeland
• Two-year service mandatory for all South Korean males
• Outlines plans to stay in US through statement

Sang-Moon Bae, currently sitting in second place on the FedExCup standings, is facing a fight to avoid returning to his native South Korea to complete his military service.

The two-time PGA Tour winner released a statement via his lawyer in which the 28-year-old’s manager outlined his intention to try to avoid returning to his homeland, where a two-year military undertaking is a compulsory requirement that all males must fulfil between the ages of 18 and 35.

“Sang-Moon Bae is seeking legal counsel to work through the military issues in Korea,” said the statement. “He has a valid Green Card, and Sang-Moon intends to stay in the United States as long as it is lawful to do so and play on the PGA Tour this year, beginning with next week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua.

Sang-Moon Bae is a likely candidate to represent his country when golf returns to the Olympics in 2016.

“As this is an ongoing legal matter, he will make no additional statements until the issue is resolved.”

Bae, who won the Frys.com Open in October, is currently ranked 84th in the world.

The Korean government has been known to waive the military service requirement for athletes winning gold at the Asian Games or any Olympic medal. As the highest ranked golfer in Korea, Bae is a likely candidate to represent his country when golf returns to the Olympics in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro.

Sang-Moon Bae’s military service battle – your thoughts?

What do you make of Sang-Moon Bae‘s ongoing fight against completing military service in his home country of South Korea? Is he right to resist it or should he do it? Leave your thoughts in our ‘Comments’ section below.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor