A 26-year-old South Korean man has been found guilty of evading mandatory military service by deliberately gaining weight, leading to a one-year suspended sentence. His friend, who helped him devise the binge-eating plan, received a six-month suspended sentence, emphasizing the lengths individuals might go to avoid the nation's strict draft requirements.
South Korean Man Gets Suspended Sentence for Draft Evasion via Binge Eating
South Korean Man Gets Suspended Sentence for Draft Evasion via Binge Eating
A court ruling highlights an unusual tactic employed to bypass military service in South Korea.
In a landmark ruling, a 26-year-old man from South Korea has been convicted for attempting to evade mandatory military service by orchestrating a binge-eating scheme to gain weight. In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to commit to 18 months of military service, a law that has garnered significant attention given its implications on young men's careers and lives.
The court in Seoul reported that the defendant began this binge-eating strategy before undergoing the crucial physical examination for the draft. Initially deemed fit for combat, he later tipped the scales at over 102 kg (225 lbs), classifying him as heavily obese and thereby relegating him to a non-combat role at a government agency.
The man has been imposed a one-year suspended prison sentence for his actions, while a friend who concocted the binge-diet plan has received a six-month suspended sentence. This friend denied charges of aiding and abetting the scheme, claiming he never anticipated his friend would actually follow through with such drastic measures.
For many young men in South Korea, the military service obligation is a point of contention, stirring debates on personal freedom and national duty. As societal pressures build, creative and often controversial methods to navigate military obligations are becoming increasingly apparent, raising questions about the values underpinning the country's approach to national service.
