Son Heung-Min will be one of three 'wild card' players for South Korea. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Son Heung-Min has been included in the South Korea squad for this summer's Olympic Games.

The tournament in Rio de Janeiro is restricted to players aged under 23, but Spurs have given South Korea permission to include Son, who turns 24 in July, as one of three overage "wild cards."

South Korea's Olympic coach Shin Tae-Yong and his squad will set off for Brazil on July 18.

Tottenham travel to Australia for a preseason tournament in late July, and Son will join South Korea after club games against Juventus and Atletico Madrid.

Shin said that meant Son would not play in the first group game against Fiji, with South Korea also facing Mexico and Germany in a difficult group as they attempt to improve on their bronze medal at London 2012.

"We will try to hide things in a match against Fiji, but will put all of our efforts against Germany," the coach added.

"If we beat Fiji and manage to get a win or a draw against Germany, we can focus on Mexico. If we can't accomplish our goal from the start, then I consider South Korea are in the 'group of death.'"

Son could be unavailable until late August, ruling him out of a significant chunk of Spurs' preseason and the start of the the next campaign.

But athletes who earn an Olympic medal are exempt from South Korea's mandatory two-year military service, obligatory for all citizens, which could be beneficial to the club in the future.