Newcastle’s Park Seung-soo takes gold and avoids military service

Newcastle United winger Park Seung-soo won a gold medal with South Korea at the 2026 Asian Games following a 1-0 win against Japan in the final. The 19-year-old was the youngest member of the squad and made an appearance as a stoppage-time substitute. The victory secured South Korea's fourth consecutive Asian Games football title.

Winning gold earns Park an exemption from South Korea's compulsory military service, clearing a significant hurdle for his professional career. Since signing from Suwon Bluewings, the teenager has featured for Newcastle's Under-21 side, and the club may explore a loan move for him in January to gain senior experience under manager Matthias Jaissle.