Lim Jong-hoon and his mixed doubles partner Shin Yu-bin won a bronze medal for South Korea at the Olympics in table tennis. However, the third-place finish meant a lot more for the former than the latter.
He is exempt from mandatory military service!
South Korea is technically still at war with North Korea. An armistice was reached between the neighboring countries after the Korean War in 1953 but neither side signed an official peace treaty. As a result, all able-bodied men are mandated to serve between 18 and 21 months in the South Korean military.
There are a few exemptions for athletes. Anyone who wins a gold medal at the Asian Games or reaches the podium at the Olympics does not have to serve.
Lim, a first-time Olympian, is 27 years old. His mandatory military service was supposed to commence next month. He was going to return home from Paris, gather his things, and almost immediately head off to join the military. Not anymore!
“I tried to think of [the bronze medal match] as just one game, but I did feel the weight of it. I’d be lying if I wasn’t thinking of (the military service). Jang Woo-jin even told me I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t think about the military.”
— Lim Jong-hoon
To say that he was emotional would be an understatement.
The gravity of his Olympics victory set in as soon as the final point was declared in his favor and he collapsed to his knees. Shin Yu-bin was there to celebrate with him.
Technically speaking, Lim Jong-hoon will still be considered a member of the South Korean military for 34 months. But instead of serving his country for the next 18 months, he is now free to compete full-time in table tennis until his career comes to an end. Should he stop competing during the grace period, Lim can retain his exemption by coaching his sport.
To make the win even more powerful, Lim and Shin took a selfie with the North Korean athletes who won silver.
This is what makes the Olympics so special!