Newcastle’s Park Seung-soo apologises over military cap photo after Asian Games win

Newcastle United winger Park Seung-soo issued an apology after facing criticism for posting a photograph wearing a military discharge cap. The 19-year-old shared the image following South Korea's 1-0 Asian Games final victory against Japan on Saturday. Park explained that a fan handed him the cap and admitted that the excitement of winning the gold medal led him to post it without realizing its significance.

The cap is traditionally associated with finishing compulsory military service, leading critics to view the celebration as insensitive toward those who served. In a statement reported by Star News and ChosunBiz, Park clarified that he never intended to mock service personnel, apologized to anyone offended, and pledged to behave more responsibly in the future.