How a 26-year-old South Korean man managed to dodge his country's mandatory Army draft - with the help of a friend
A man from South Korea avoided being drafted into his country's army by gaining weight, a court heard.
The nifty dodger, who is 26, began binge eating before his physical examination and was subsequently categorised as obese.
This allowed him to serve in a non-combat role at a government agency rather than being conscripted for combat duty.
According to local media, the Korean Herald, the defendant was initially assessed as fit for combat duty during an first physical exam.
But it was during his final examination that he was found to weigh over 225 lbs, 16 stone (102kg), making him heavily obese.
A South Korea court handed the man a one-year suspended sentence while a friend who devised a special regimen that doubled his daily food intake got a six-month suspended sentence.
The man who recommended the binge diet had denied the charge of aiding and abetting as he insisted he never believed his friend would go through with it.
One of the largest and most powerful standing fighting forces in the world, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces (ROK) was reported in 2022 as having 500,000 active and 3,100,000 reserve officers.
South Korean soldiers wearing protective gears check the trash from a balloon presumably sent by North Korea, in Incheon, South Korea, on June 2, 2024
Seoul City Skyline from Namsan Mountain Park in South Korea (file image). Conscription in the country requires male citizens between the age of 18 and 28 to perform compulsory military service
Conscription in the country requires male citizens between the age of 18 and 28 to perform compulsory military service.
Women are not required to do this but may volunteer as officers, warrant officers, or non-commissioned officers.
When a man turns 19-years-old, or in some instances 20, he is required to undergo an Impairment & Disability evaluation to determine whether he is suitable for military service.
Among the grounds for total exemption are 'those incapable of performing military service due to any disease or mental or physical incompetence'.
While 'those whose physical and psychological constitution is not so healthy for active training' may be 'enlisted for supplemental service or the second citizen service'.
