South Korean Man Faces Justice for Attempting to Evade Military Service through Weight Gain

A Seoul court convicted a 26-year-old man for purposefully becoming obese to evade mandatory military service, resulting in a one-year suspended sentence. His accomplice received six months suspended, raising questions about the ethics surrounding military conscription in South Korea.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the military for 18 months, a mandate that has led to various approaches to dodge service. Recently, a unique case came to light when a 26-year-old man was found guilty of attempting to avoid his conscription by deliberately gaining weight. Reports from local media indicate that he began binge eating leading up to his physical examination to secure a classification that would exempt him from combat roles.

During the initial assessment, the man was deemed fit for service; however, by the final examination last year, he had surpassed the obesity threshold, weighing in at over 102 kilograms (225 pounds). This dramatic change in his physical condition allowed him to be assigned to a non-combat position within a government agency. The court in Seoul imposed a suspended one-year sentence on the defendant, indicating that while he had committed a crime, it didn’t warrant immediate imprisonment.

His friend, who allegedly devised a special eating regimen that doubled the man's daily food intake, was also implicated. This accomplice, despite denying the charge of aiding the man in evading military service, received a six-month suspended sentence for his involvement. This ruling underscores the serious stance that South Korea maintains towards military obligations, while simultaneously revealing a growing trend among citizens attempting to bypass that duty.

The case sits amidst broader discussions about compulsory military service, which has been a longstanding requirement in South Korea, often debated among citizens regarding its necessity and fairness. As the nation faces changing social dynamics, the challenges of military conscription continue to provoke dialogue, leaving many to wonder how enforcement and compliance will evolve in the future.