South Korean man jailed for a year for overeating to avoid military service
In South Korea, a 26-year-old man who had become obese has been sentenced to a year in prison for trying to avoid military service.
A Korean man deliberately gained weight before a medical examination to avoid conscription.
In 2023, during his last inspection, he was given a rating of 4, which allowed him to work only in non-combat positions, according to an article in The Korea Herald .
The man was reported to be 169 cm tall and weighed 102.3 kg, making him too obese to serve in the army.
Under South Korean law, evading compulsory military service without a valid reason is punishable by up to three years in prison.
The man allegedly followed the advice of a friend who suggested a plan to gain weight to avoid serving in the army.
The court suspected the accused Korean's friend of assisting in evading military service and sentenced him to six months in prison.
In South Korea, military service is mandatory for men for at least 18 months.
