The rule hit the headlines at last month's Asian Games as high-profile Tottenham Hotspur footballer Son Hueng-min helped his country win men's gold to avoid conscription.

All able-bodied men in South Korea must complete 21 months of military service before the age of 28 as part of efforts to maintain a deterrent against the North.

However, athletes and artists can earn exemptions by fulfilling certain criteria.

For athletes, a gold medal at the Asian Games or a medal of any colour at the Olympics qualifies as sufficient success to exempt them from military service, under the current policy.

Son, whose former club Bayer Leverkusen refused to release him from club commitments for the 2014 Asian Games, praised his current club for allowing him to attend in Jakarta and Palembang.

"I'm so grateful to Tottenham because they let me come here," he said, after missing Premier League fixtures.

"Normally that's not an easy decision.

"I would have felt very sorry if I didn't win the gold medal."

The 26-year-old has recently signed a five-year-deal with Tottenham but, without winning his gold at the Asian Games, would likely have had to leave during that time to complete his national service.

The South Korean gold medallists from football join nine baseball Asian Games champions who have not yet completed their military serice in receiving exemptions.

Following the number of athletes qualifying for exemption, Ki Chan-soo, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, an arm of the Defence Ministry in charge of conscription, said that the rule could be amended.

"We're planning a comprehensive re-examination of the system in the areas of sport and art," Ki told Yonhap.

"We're already running short of military personnel resources so we'll start by looking into whether the exemption programme is fair."

Although no formal review has been launched as of yet, there could be a consultation on the issue.