Military exemptions for athletes can be abolished without issue

We are no longer in an era where people suffer through three years of military service.
There is no real need to grant exemptions unless it is for people who truly deserve it—such as those caring for ailing parents, those who have conducted groundbreaking research that significantly benefits the medical field, or those with severe illnesses.
Right now, it is perceived as nothing more than a loophole for military exemption.
In reality, the reason military exemptions were granted to athletes in the past was that they were special individuals who helped promote Korea to the world when it was a poor and struggling nation. However, Korea is no longer such an isolated or underdeveloped country; in fact, the nation is much wealthier than the global average.
In times like these, I wonder what the point of granting gold medal privileges to athletes is, especially when they aren't even competing against top-tier opponents.