PGA Tour News Updates: Sang-Moon Bae to Opt Out of Tournament for South Korean Army?

Despite an ongoing issue with the South Korean government over military service, golfer Sang-Moon Bae will continue his run at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions next week scheduled to happen in Maui, Hawaii.

According to SB Nation, Bae will push through with his participation in the tournament, adding that he is already preparing for his kickoff to the PGA Tour this year.

"Sang-Moon intends to stay in the United States as long as it is lawful to do so and play on the PGA Tour this year, beginning with next week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua," said Bae's manager in a statement released Friday night, noting that the situation is an ongoing legal matter and that their camp will not give additional information or statement until the issue reaches resolution.

Sports World News noted that the 28-year-old Korean player was able to qualify for the Tournament of the Champions when he won the Frys Open last October.

The same report, however, added that he recently got caught up in rendering service to the military unit of his country which requires males between the ages of 18-35 to enlist in the program which is part of South Korea's peace treaty with the North when they split in 1953.

Many reports indicated that the overseas travel permit extension request of the golfer's mother was rejected by the country's Military Manpower Administration (MMA) earlier this week. SB Nation added that the golfer could be forced to go home by the end of the month to complete the requirement.

If he fails to do so, he may be facing criminal charges as his travel permit is already expiring by the end of this month.

Bae's defense

Korea Times reported that "Bae acquired U.S. citizenship in 2013 for convenience in tax paying and concentration on the sport. According to the conscription law, the MMA can extend conscription candidates' permit to stay overseas for up to three years, if they have acquired permanent overseas residence less then three years ago." The report further explained that "The conscription law considers a person as residing in Korea if he has spent a total of six months or more within the past year, or spent three consecutive months within the past year here [Korea]."

But according to Korea Times, "Bae has stayed in Korea 133 days during the past 12 months from August 2013, to appear in the KPGA Tour and enrol in a graduate school, thus he should be considered an overseas resident, Bae's legal assistants claim."

It was noted by a similar Yahoo Sports article that sporting success has enabled some athletes to "bypass" this military service required by the Korean government but noted that it applied for athletes who won the Asian Games gold or an Olympic medal.

In his field, Bae is considered as the highest-ranked South Korean Golfer who will compete at the Rio Games in 2016 when the sport is set to make a return in the Olympics.