Military training tough but enjoyable, says Spurs' Son
(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min has said he enjoyed his three-week basic military training in South Korea which involved being exposed to tear gas, live-fire drills and 30km hikes.
All able-bodied South Korean men have to serve in the military for around two years but Son, 27, received an exemption for leading the country to gold at the 2018 Asian Games.
With the Premier League suspended since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Son completed his training last month and picked up an award as the top performer among 157 trainees.
"It was a good experience... I don’t know how the people felt, but for me the three weeks have been long but it was a good experience, I enjoyed it," Son told Spurs' website https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/2020/june/heung-min-son-military-service-was-special-i-ve-missed-everyone.
"The first day when we don't know each other was a bit weird but soon we got to know each other. We spent every day together in one room, 10 people very close... we helped each other so the time was fantastic."
The Premier League season will resume on June 17 and Son, who has not played since fracturing his arm in a match at Aston Villa on Feb. 16, is raring to get back on the field.
"I’m physically fine, I’m working really, really hard to be at my maximum level and I’m nearly there," Son, who has scored nine goals and provided seven assists this season, added.
(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
