He’s a feared marksman on the football pitch but Tottenham forward Son Heung-min is also a crack shot on the shooting range, being given a top performer award on completing his military training in South Korea.
Son, 27, completed his three-week basic training on Friday on the southern island of Jeju, and scooped a prize for being among the best performers in his group of 157 trainees, local media report.
“He received the ‘Pilsung’ prize which is one of five types of awards for best performers,” the Yonhap news agency quoted a Marine Corps officer as saying.
“All the courses were judged in a fair and strict manner, and his military training officers have said he went through the training faithfully.”
The Spurs striker took the opportunity of the coronavirus-enforced break in the Premier League to complete his basic training, which has involved exercises such as weapons training, hikes and exposure to tear gas.
Son still has to complete 544 hours of community service over the next 34 months, but the striker is exempt from the typical term of around two years’ military service that most able-bodied South Korean men have to undertake, after he helped his country to the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games.
?? Heung-Min Son has completed his mandatory military service in South Korea. He is due to return to London next week. Congratulations, Sonny. See you soon! #THFC ⚪️ #COYSpic.twitter.com/ldacJRm4j8
The South Korean star has not played a match since fracturing his arm in the Premier League encounter with Aston Villa on February 16.
He will likely have to undergo a quarantine period once he returns to London from South Korea, but will hope to be available for Spurs boss Jose Mourinho for the planned resumption of football in England.
The Premier League is aiming for a June return under its ‘Project Restart’ plans, although questions remain over exactly when, where and how games will be played.
