In South Korea, adult men have a duty to serve in the military, and those with better physical fitness are usually assigned to combat units. However, there was a 26-year-old man in the country who tried to evade military service by intentionally gaining weight, resulting in him being sentenced to one year in prison by the court.
According to a report from the “Korea Herald,” the Seoul Eastern District Court recently sentenced the man to one year in prison with a two-year probation for violating the Military Service Act. Under this law, individuals who evade military service without valid reasons can be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison.
The report stated that the defendant doubled his daily food intake in an attempt to increase his weight and drank a large amount of water before the enlistment physical examination. He followed a weight-gain plan devised by a friend who encouraged him to use weight gain as a way to avoid military service.
The friend who assisted and instigated the defendant was sentenced to six months in prison with a two-year probation for aiding and abetting. However, he denied the accusations, claiming that he never thought his friend (the defendant) would go to such lengths.
In 2017, the defendant’s physical examination results showed that he was 169 cm tall and weighed 83 kg, meeting the qualifications for active duty soldiers. However, in the final physical examination in 2023, his weight had increased to 102.3 kg, allowing him to switch to non-combat service due to being overweight, working in government offices.
In South Korea, physically and mentally healthy men are required to serve for 18 to 21 months, but those with health issues can opt for non-combat service, while those with severe health problems can be exempt from military duty.
The Seoul Eastern District Court noted that both the defendant and his friend had no prior criminal records. The defendant admitted to the crime and pledged to fulfill his military service duty, leading the court to hand down relatively mild sentences to them.
According to Amnesty International, South Korea has imprisoned hundreds of individuals over the years for refusing military service, with many citing religious beliefs as the reason for their objection. The longer duration of military service in South Korea also disrupts the careers of young men, including athletes and musicians, affecting their willingness to serve.
According to a report by Yonhap News Agency in 2018, there have been numerous cases where young men in South Korea intentionally avoided military service by gaining or losing weight, pretending to have mental illnesses, getting full-body tattoos, or self-harming.
Citing a survey conducted in 2018, CNN reported that among male respondents in their twenties in South Korea, 72% viewed conscription as gender discrimination, with around 65% believing women should also enlist. Nearly 83% favored avoiding military service if possible, and 68% considered it a waste of time.
Similarly, in Taiwan where adult males are also required to serve in the military, there have been recent cases of conscripts being sentenced for evading service, with some resorting to leaving the country to avoid enlistment.
One such case involved a man surnamed Li from Nantou County, Taiwan, who went abroad for studies in 2008 at the age of 23. Despite receiving multiple call-ups from the local authorities, he did not return to Taiwan.
Upon his return in 2022 at the age of 37, surpassing the age limit for conscription, the Nantou District Court found him guilty of violating the Military Service Act and sentenced him to five months in prison with a two-year probation.