South Korean Conscript Convicted of Gaining Weight to Avoid Military Service (3 photos)

The cunning young man ate 102 kilograms and was declared unfit for service.





In South Korea, military service is considered mandatory, but just like in our country, there are draft dodgers who dream of sitting it out at home by hook or by crook. One of these conscripts ate like he was going to slaughter to gain weight. He was on a special high-calorie diet that his friend helped him put together.

In October 2017, the guy underwent an initial medical examination, according to the results of which the Korean was assigned the second category, which allowed him to serve in combat units.

But at the final medical examination in June 2023, he already weighed 102.3 kilograms. With a height of 169 centimeters, his body mass index was 35.8, which indicates severe obesity.

Apparently, the guy was initially prone to obesity, and the plan (eat a lot and often) worked. As a result, the 102-kilogram Korean stayed at home. However, he was suspected of deliberately damaging his health, and when all the ins and outs came to light, a trial took place.



The draft dodger received a year in prison with a deferment of a couple of years - and he got off easy. They usually don't stand on ceremony with people like him in South Korea and immediately put them in prison for 3 years. However, the court mitigated the sentence because of his sworn promises to serve honestly in the army. They also took into account that the conscript had no previous criminal record.

The friend, as an accomplice, was also convicted of aiding and abetting, and sentenced to six months in prison with a deferment of two years. The friend denied the charges and does not consider himself guilty.



All young men (18 to 35 years old) in South Korea who are fit for military service serve from 18 to 24 months. You can dodge the military in several cases:

for health reasons;

if the conscript comes from a poor family (consisting of at least 4 people), whose income is less than 1.85 million won per month, and the total cost of housing is less than 68.6 million won.

if the family has a large number of dependents under the age of 19 or over 65.

A conscript can choose when exactly he can serve - often this right is used by university students who first want to finish their studies and then pay off their military debt.