A title in Hanghzhou (China) at the end of September will automatically allow the winners to escape 18 months or more in the army.

This measure has been extended to esport because it is no longer only in demonstration as in the previous edition and will have real continental champions in seven video games, including the number 1 of the League of Legends genre, EA SPORTS FC (ex-FIFA) or Street Fighter V.

All able-bodied South Korean men must complete at least a year and a half of military service, mainly because this country of some 52 million people remains theoretically at war with North Korea. In this context, the exemptions, issued by Seoul in dribs and drabs, for example to classical musicians, are the subject of heated debate.

The pop group BTS, despite its international notoriety and the money it brings in, has not benefited from it. Jin, J-Hope and SUGA, three of its members, have already begun their military service, according to the boy band's agency, HYBE.

The South Korean esports team (l) plays a friendly match against Vietnam before the Asian Games, on September 11, 2023 in Gwangmyeong, South © Korea Jung Yeon-je / AFP

The government had considered the possibility of an exemption, but despite BTS' immense popularity, the idea was off-putting 33 percent of the population, according to a 2022 Gallup poll.

The debate has returned to the table with the Asian Games, where South Korean esports, which dominates the discipline alongside China, have a great chance of titles.

Athens of esports

Team coach Kim Jeong-gyun has said that "a sense of duty" will be the only motivation for his players, but experts say military service is a "very important problem" for these often young competitors.

"They start their careers in their late teens," Professor Choi of Hanshin University told AFP. "The exemption can be a big extra incentive for them."

South Korea has dozens of leading esportsmen, starting with delegation captain Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, master of the flagship title "LoL", this five-on-five game in which the objective is to destroy the opponent's base.

Many believe that competitive gaming began in the land of the morning calm. Between ultra-fast internet connection and the proliferation of Internet cafes dedicated to games, called "PC bangs", South Korea has built a huge community of "gamers".

"If Athens is the birthplace of the Olympics, Seoul is the birthplace of esports," said Kang Do-kyung, a former pro player turned professor at Shingu College.

The Korean national esports team during a ceremony on August 28, 2023 at Seoul © City Hall Jung Yeon-je / AFP

A sign that the game is taken seriously to the top, Seoul and the official esports body have put the means for their prodigies of the screen: training center with physiotherapists, psychological help, but also five-star hotel on site with Korean dishes ... What to feel comfortable in Hanghzhou.

Aiming for gold

In 2018, South Korea lost in the final of the demonstration tournament to China in "League of Legends". This year, it is gold that she is aiming for, but the players do not mention the exemption as a motivation. "I want to get a good result as we will wear the national flag on our outfits," said Jeong Ji-hoon, aka "Chovy", a League of Legends player.

Nevertheless, in case of final victory and exemption, they will probably not escape a controversy. According to official figures, less than one hundred exemptions were granted for "arts and sports" in 2022. And beneficiaries feel compelled to show publicly that they remain committed to their country.

Some go so far as to perform another type of service to prove their good faith, such as Son Heung-min. The Spurs star forced himself to volunteer for an alternative service.

© 2023 AFP