A South Korean man was sentenced to a year in prison for deliberately overeating to avoid mandatory military service. Before his military physical examination, the 26-year-old, whose name has not been disclosed, deliberately gained significant weight, reaching more than 102 kilograms (225 lb), in order to disqualify him for combat roles and non-combat roles. -Can be assigned combat role. government posts, Korean Herald Informed.
The man reportedly ate large amounts of food, including instant noodles, pizza and fried chicken, in order to gain weight rapidly. He reportedly gained 24 kilograms (52.8 lb) in just three months, bringing his body mass index (BMI) to 37.8, which is considered obese. The man planned to use his weight gain to gain exemption from military service, which is mandatory for able-bodied Korean men between the ages of 18 and 35.
However, his plan was discovered and he was later accused of attempting to avoid military service. While the maximum sentence for draft evasion is three years, his sentence was reduced due to his lack of prior crimes and a promise to serve faithfully. He received a one-year suspended sentence, while his friend, who helped him double his daily food intake, was jailed for six months.
The man’s friend testified in court that while he had suggested the weight gain plan as a joke, he never expected his friend to take it seriously and actually follow it.
In South Korea, all able-bodied men over the age of 18 must serve in the military for at least 18 months. BBCThis policy is rooted in the country’s ongoing tensions with North Korea. This universal recruitment ensures a steady supply of personnel for the armed forces, which are vital for national defence. While exemptions exist for individuals with health problems or outstanding achievements in fields such as sports or arts, avoidance of service through deliberate means carries heavy penalties.
In a similar incident in 2018, a group of South Korean college graduates deliberately gained significant weight through binge eating to avoid mandatory military service, essentially branding themselves as too obese to serve in combat roles. Tried to classify.
