South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon set for mandatory military service: “I’ll be back”

South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon is saying “goodbye for a moment” to life as a professional tennis player, as he’s set to begin 18 months of compulsory military service in 2025.

The former world No. 52 announced that he will be enlisting in the army on January 13, after being unable to secure an exemption at last year’s Asian Games.

“My tour life will stop for nearly two years, but I’ll be back in the second quarter with a more perfect form while you wait,” Kwon wrote in Korean in a message to fans on social media.

South Korea has a mandatory military policy for all able bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28, with some exemptions granted including for medical reasons. Korean athletes and artists have also been able to avoid or delay military service—including Son Heung-min, a Tottenham Hotspur soccer player, who helped his country clinch a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games.

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Kwon could have secured his own exemption with a gold medal at last year’s Asian Games. But having just returned from a serious shoulder injury, the Korean was instead ousted in the second round by Thailand’s Samrej Kasidit and his racquet-smashing meltdown made global headlines.

The Sangju native, who celebrated his 27th birthday at the start of the month, has previously stated that he plans to join the South Korean army’s tennis team to keep up his training. Kwon also intends to return to the ATP Tour and play for “10 years or more” after finishing his service.

“Many people say that it's too late to start over at 30 and that it's hard to start over on tour... For me, 30 is my prime and I'm confident,” Kwon wrote on Instagram.

“I've only achieved 20 percent of my goals,” he added. “I will definitely achieve what all tennis fans want for Korean tennis. I will do my best until I achieve it, so please look forward to it.”

The only South Korean player to win multiple ATP titles, Kwon peaked at No. 52 in 2021 and is currently ranked No. 349.