Court imposes sentence South Korean fattening himself up to become unfit for military service

A 26-year-old man from South Korea wanted to use an unusual method to avoid military service. He tried to escape compulsory military service by gaining a massive amount of weight - in the end, he ended up in the dock.

A man from South Korea tried to evade compulsory military service with a particularly "fat" trick. As reported by the South Korean newspaper "Korea Herald", the 26-year-old was deemed fit for combat at an initial medical examination in October 2017. However, the man was determined to avoid conscription. Before his final examination in June 2023, the South Korean therefore doubled his food intake. He also consumed large quantities of water.

A friend of the 26-year-old had drawn up the plan to gain weight. At the medical examination for his enlistment, the 1.69-metre tall man finally weighed 102 kilograms. He was therefore unfit for military service. The government authorities assigned the man to a non-combat role instead of the military.

Legal repercussions

However, the man's rapid weight gain to avoid compulsory military service had legal repercussions. A court sentenced the overweight man to a one-year suspended prison sentence. He got off lightly. In South Korea, all men over the age of 18 who are fit for military service must serve in the army for at least 18 months. Anyone who evades this requirement faces a prison sentence.

The 26-year-old's friend, who had drawn up the plan to gain weight, did not get off scot-free either. He was sentenced to six months probation. He defended himself in court, saying that he had never believed that anyone would actually follow this diet.