South Korean found guilty of overeating to evade military service: report

A South Korean man has been found guilty of deliberately gaining weight to avoid military service, the Korea Herald reported on Sunday (Nov 24).

The 26-year-old man was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for two years, under the Military Service Act.

He reportedly doubled his daily food intake and drank large amounts of water just before his pre-enlistment physical.

According to the report, upon initial medical examination in October 2017, the man was classified as Level 2, making him eligible to participate in combat.

However, at his final medical examination in June 2023 he was graded 4 and weighed 102.3kg. With a height of 169 cm, the body mass index was 35.8, which led to severe obesity.

The new rank meant he could perform non-combat duty in a government agency while commuting from home, The Korea Herald reported.

The man reportedly followed a regimen suggested by a friend, which included specific plans to gain weight.

According to the Military Service Law, persons evading compulsory military service without a valid reason can be imprisoned for up to three years.

The man’s friend was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, for aiding and abetting.

The friend reportedly denied the allegations and said he never thought the man would go through with it.

According to The Korea Herald, the district court handed down relatively lenient sentences for both men because they had no prior criminal records. The defendant also admitted his guilt and promised to sincerely serve his military duty.

South Korea requires all able-bodied men to serve in the military for at least 18 months.