[Exclusive] 'Military Service Controversy' Seok Hyun-jun Has Been Exploring French Citizenship Since Last Year

Difficulty in participating in Gyeonggi due to passport invalidation
"Not evading military service, but for competition participation
Return after completion to fulfill military duty" claim

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] It has been confirmed that Seok Hyun-joon (29, France Troyes AC), a former national team soccer player who has been at the center of controversy for not fulfilling his military service obligations, has been attempting to acquire French citizenship since mid-last year.

According to a comprehensive report by Asia Economy on the 6th, since becoming an 'illegal overseas resident' in 2019, Seok Hyun-joon has been exploring the requirements and procedures to obtain French citizenship since June to July of last year.

This has already become an open secret in the soccer community. A source in the soccer world hinted, "Since last year, rumors about Seok Hyun-joon's naturalization in France have been circulating."

Seok Hyun-joon is currently known to have a contract with his club until June next year. However, with his passport recently invalidated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he is unable to participate in matches, and it has become difficult to fulfill the contract period. Seok Hyun-joon's side plans to obtain French citizenship to extend his stay abroad and fulfill the contract period with his club. After that, he intends to return to Korea, restore his nationality, and fulfill his military service. They maintain that acquiring French citizenship is not an act of evading military service but an unavoidable choice to honor the contract period with the club.

According to Seok Hyun-joon's claim, restoring nationality requires review by the Ministry of Justice. However, under Korean nationality law, those who have lost or renounced their nationality to evade military service are not permitted to restore it. A lawyer familiar with nationality lawsuits said, "If the case proceeds to review or litigation, Seok Hyun-joon must be recognized for obtaining citizenship to faithfully fulfill his contract with the club."

Seok Hyun-joon stayed abroad under a general permit for studying abroad and overseas employment. One year before turning 27, the limit of his stay, in 2017, he applied to the Military Manpower Administration for permission to emigrate abroad citing the reason of "living with parents who have obtained permanent residency," but it was denied.

Seok Hyun-joon appealed this decision twice through administrative trials in 2018 and 2019, but both were dismissed. Last year, he filed an administrative lawsuit in court, which he also lost. Accordingly, the controversy over military service evasion is expected to continue until Seok Hyun-joon, who is currently residing in France, returns to Korea.

At 19 years old in 2011, Seok Hyun-joon made headlines by going alone to the Dutch professional soccer club Ajax, voluntarily taking and passing the entrance test to debut as a professional player. Since then, he has continued his career through 14 loans and transfers only in Europe and the Middle East.

He also played 15 matches as a national team player, scoring 5 goals. In 2016, he was selected for the Rio Olympics team and scored 3 goals in the group stage, helping the team reach the quarterfinals, but he did not win a medal and thus did not receive military service exemption.