Professional football players return to civilian football life

A total of 17 footballers finished their 18-month mandatory military service at military club Gimcheon Sangmu on Monday.

Soldiers from the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps (Kafac), including 17 players from K League 1 team Gimcheon Sangmu, salute during a discharge ceremony at the Kafac headquarters in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang on Monday. The discharged football players will now return to their former clubs. [GIMCHEON SANGMU]

A total of 17 footballers finished their 18-month mandatory military service at military club Gimcheon Sangmu on Monday.

A discharge ceremony for the 17 players and other Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps (Kafac) handball and rugby players took place at the Kafac headquarters in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang.

Gimcheon is a K League 1 club that professional players between the ages of 19 and 27 can join to complete their military service. The discharged members will now return to their former clubs.

The second half of the K League 1 campaign will see a completely different Gimcheon, as new players that enlisted in April and joined the squad last month challenge for the club's first K League 1 title.

Gimcheon are at the top of the league table as of press time Monday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]