SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s army says Olympic judo silver medalist Wang Ki-chun was held in a military detention facility for eight days for using his mobile phone during his compulsory training.
All able-bodied South Korean men must serve about two years in the military and they are not allowed to use cellphones during their service.
Athletes who win any medals at Olympics or gold at the Asian Games are exempt from active military duty as long as they complete four weeks of basic training and serve in their sports fields for 34 months.
Army officials said Monday Wang, who won a silver in the men’s 73-kilogram class at the 2008 Beijing Games, was sent to the correctional facility south of Seoul late last month while he was completing his four weeks training.
