In a striking case highlighting the lengths some individuals will go to avoid military service, a 26-year-old man in South Korea was found guilty of attempting to evade his mandatory enlistment by binge eating. According to local media reports, this unusual tactic was revealed during a court hearing in Seoul, where the judge noted that the defendant's deliberate weight gain led to his classification as obese, allowing him to serve in a non-combat capacity within a government agency, rather than undergoing combat training.
The man, who initially passed his physical exam and was deemed fit for combat, had significantly increased his body weight before the final assessment, tipping the scales at over 102 kilograms (225 pounds). As a result, he was categorized as heavily obese, making him eligible for a less rigorous military role. The defendant received a one-year suspended sentence, while a friend who helped him develop a special eating regimen that doubled his daily food intake faced a six-month suspended sentence after denying charges of aiding in the draft evasion.
Mandatory military service in South Korea is a requirement for all able-bodied men over the age of 18, lasting a minimum of 18 months. While this case serves as a reminder of the steady pressure faced by young men in South Korea regarding military obligations, it also reflects the lengths individuals will go to navigate the strict regulations.
