Golfer BAE SANG-MOON is "on the brink of putting his budding PGA career on hold" to join the South Korean military, according to Nam Hyun-woo of the KOREA TIMES. The 28-year-old "rose to stardom three months ago when he won the Frys.com Open and only trails BUBBA WATSON in 2015 PGA Tour Money Leaders table, but he now has to think about handling guns instead of his drivers and putters." On Dec. 29, a Military Manpower Administration office in Daegu, Bae's hometown, "denied Bae's request to extend his overseas travel permit." That forces Bae, who has "not finished his service yet, to return to Korea until the end of next month or he could face a criminal charge." All "able-bodied Korean men over 18 are subject to conscription." For athletes or TV personalities, "some two-year long military service comes as an obstacle to their career." Bae said, "First I want to apologize for causing this controversy. I'm not saying I will not do the service. I just want to legally extend the travel permit, but it's not granted" (KOREA TIMES, 12/30).
