KI SUNG-YUENG is facing 18 months of military service back home in South Korea.
Celtic were last night locked in talks with the South Korean FA in a desperate bid to get him off the hook.
Ki has revealed he must return home to enlist with the army unless he's granted special dispensation.
His international team-mates have been promised they can avoid going into uniform if they win the Asian Games this month in China Celtic initially prevented the 21-year-old midfielder from playing in the tournament because boss Neil Lennon wanted him to cover for crocked captain Scott Brown.
The Hoops hierarchy are now having a rethink as they seek to spare Ki from having to interrupt his career.
Lennon has revealed the SPL Young Player of the Month could hook up with South Korea to play in the semi-finals and final in Guangzhou. Ki said: "Every person in Korea must go into the military.
"Even football players must do it by the age of 29.
"The Asian Games are on just now and if we win a gold medal we can avoid military service.
"The Asian Games are every four years but because it is not a FIFA competition, Celtic do not have to let me go.
"If Korea loses the competition, everyone must go to the army.
"I want to delay military service until I'm 28 but if I don't do it, I can't NEVER go back to Korea.
"Cha Du-Ri avoided it because Korea reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2002 but the law was changed and, of course, there is no World Cup at the moment.
"I asked if I could go to the Asian Games but Celtic said no as there are a lot of players injured here. It is an emergency for the team so I didn't get the chance to go."
South Korea are among the favourites to win gold at the Asian Games. The semi-final is scheduled for November 23 with the final 48 hours later.
If Ki got the belated green light to play, he'd miss SPL clashes with Dundee United and Inverness Caley Thistle.
Lennon said: "I am sympathetic. It's a tricky one.
"It's one of the problems you face when you take these players on.
"Initially he wanted to go and do his bit and he'd be free of that. We've been talking to the South Korean FA and they understand our situation. He's a very influential and important player for us and has just broken into the team.
"It's a great opportunity for him to bed himself down.
"We don't want to lose him for a considerable amount of time because we already have Brown and Beram Kayal out.
"To lose Ki for four or five weeks would be a blow for us so we're negotiating with South Korea.
"There was talk of him going for the semi-finals and final. I don't know how far that's progressed.
"There's another tournament soon, the Asian Cup, that he might have to go to with Cha as well.
"We'll again have to consult with the South Korean FA to find out their stance on it."
Ki will start tonight as Celts face Hearts at Tynecastle but he admitted he feared his Hoops career could be doomed after struggling to settle this year.
He said: "I was very worried sometimes because Celtic have very good players and it's very competitive here.
"I was disappointed with my first season but now there are injuries and I've got a chance.
"Celtic brought in a lot of midfielders in the summer and I was disappointed and confused.
"I talked with the manager but he said I'm a young player and I would get my chance.
"I was here by myself and sometimes I got lonely. Now I have friends here like Cha. I meet Korean people at my house and I go to church.
"I came here for the dream and to achieve something.
"At the time it was extremely difficult for me but I didn't try to go back home.
"If a Scottish player went to the Korean league he would find it tough too."
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Processing....
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by RB on the game with Braga 
