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Ki Sung-Yueng has opened up on his summer as a soldier that saw him exposed to the harsh realities of life on the edge of war.

Ki enjoys the luxuries of a top-flight footballer’s lifestyle at Swansea City, his Premier League status making him one of the most high-profile sport stars in South Korea.

Despite an unassuming nature and shyness of the spotlight, his marriage to actress Han Hye-jin, sees him marked as a celebrity in his homeland.

The Swansea team coach is often surrounded by Korean fans desperate for autographs and selfies while teammates have joked about the club being inundated by parcels of gifts for the midfielder from back home.

Yet none of this mattered when he was told to complete his mandatory military service at the end of last season.

Reporting for duty in June, Ki has revealed how he had to ditch his mobile phone and other everyday luxuries as he stuck to strict routines, learned how to deal with chemical attacks from enemies and even underwent weapon training.

Speaking having resumed life as a footballer at the Liberty – complete with the remnants of an army-style buzz-cut hairstyle – Ki said: “In Korea there is always the possibility of a war, so we have to be ready.

“I had to learn how to deal with it. As soon as I got in there I had to forget I was a footballer.

"I just had to train like a soldier so it was hard to think about football.

“In the first few days they were surprised to see me there, but then they were too busy. They had to train and everyone gets so tired.

“I had to become a member of the army – that was my only priority. I learned how to shoot and we were in a gas room where I had to go in and put a mask on.

“We walked 10 or 20 kilometres with a gun so it was hard training and a great experience.

“I went to bed at the same time, woke up at the same time and I didn’t drink so I think it kept me fit.”

Had it not been for his role as part of the bronze-medal winning South Korean Olympic team who reached the semi-finals of the football tournament at London 2012, Ki would have had to have undergone the full term of duty in the South Korean army.

Ki’s sports celebrity standing made no difference to the need to serve time in the country’s armed forces which applies to every male between 18 and 30, the conscription rule applied since the 1970s.

It comes with South Korea still technically at war with neighbours North Korea, the two countries sharing what is said to be the world’s most heavily fortified border. Failure to carry out the service results in exile from the country with many having to serve at least 18 months.

In the end, the 27-year-old was allowed to cut his time in uniform down to the minimum four weeks, becoming one of the most high-profile South Korean citizens to have done so.

Ki had shied away from discussing the duty before travelling home, but the captain of his national team was clearly aware of his responsibility.

And, as he seeks a first start of the season in this weekend’s clash against Leicester, it appears he has taken much from the experience far removed from the off-seasons of fellow Premier League stars who would have spent their summer in Las Vegas or Dubai.

“It was a great experience, but it was tough,” he reflected.

“The training was not that hard, but mentally it was tough because I had to stay there for four weeks.

“I realised it is not easy for those in the army and having gone through the experience I felt proud of them. I didn’t know much about the army before, I didn’t know how they sacrifice themselves for their country.

“The way they train is so hard and they give their life for the country so I’m just very proud of them.”

(Image: Ian Walton/Getty Images)

It puts into context the battle for Ki to win a starting role in Francesco Guidolin’s side.

Ki’s decision to play for his country in friendlies against Spain and the Czech Republic at the start of June delayed his entry into military camp, despite permission from Guidolin to end his season early for rest ahead of his service.

It meant he returned to South Wales following the same schedule as those involved in Euro 2016, missing from pre-season fixtures and the Premier League opener against Burnley.

He appeared off the bench in last weekend’s defeat to Hull and started against Peterborough in Tuesday night’s 3-1 EFL Cup win.

But there was a rustiness in his display – not helped by playing in an advacned role normally occupied by Gylfi Sigurdsson – meaning there may be work to do before he plays his way back into the form that saw him named the club’s player of the year in 2015.

Clearly capable of becoming the playmaker Swansea need in the middle of the park, a big season awaits and he will be aware that hitting the ground running will be vital.

But, with memories of a 4-0 thumping at the King Power Stadium last April still worryingly fresh, Ki said: “We know this can be a difficult game. We had trouble last year at Leicester. We conceded many goals and they became champions.

“They are a very good side. They have quality, they have confidence now and it’s going to be a hard game, but there’s always a possibility that we can win this game.”