SEOUL (AFP)
Arsenal striker Park Chu-Young on Friday joined South Korea's
national football team for this summer's London Olympics, despite
controversy over his delayed military service.
The roster announced by Olympic team coach Hong Myung-Bo included
Park as one of the three wild cards, used on players over the
Olympic roster age limit of 23.
The 26-year-old was dropped from the country's World Cup team
after he came under fire for delaying his military service by
obtaining a 10-year residency visa for Monaco last year, when he
played for AS Monaco.
After returning home on June 13, Park apologised and vowed not to
shirk his duty. He said he had not obtained the visa to dodge
military service but in order to learn advanced football skills
in Europe.
Allegations of draft-dodging are a sensitive topic in South
Korea, where most men must undergo two years of army training.
The former national skipper had a lacklustre first season at
Arsenal, managing just six appearances since his move to London
last August, but he remains one of South Korea's most influential
players.
Ki Sung-Yueng, a Celtic FC midfielder in Scotland, and Ji
Dong-Won, the Premier Leaguer for Sunderland, are also on the
team.
For the London Games, South Korea have been paired with Mexico,
Switzerland and Gabon in Group B.
