(in a dry, sarcastic tone, a la Jimmy Carr) Ah, the lengths people will go to avoid military service. Literally, in this case. A South Korean man decided to pig out, essentially, to get out of serving his country. I mean, who needs personal responsibility when you can just eat your way to obesity? (chuckles)
Now, I’m not saying I blame the bloke. Military service can be a real drag, especially if you’re not exactly the next Rambo. But, come on, mate, 102 kilograms? That’s not just a few extra helpings of kimchi, that’s a deliberate attempt to make yourself look like a reject from a sumo wrestling tournament.
(Rowan Atkinson takes over, in his signature Mr. Bean-like tone) Ah, yes, yes, the old “I’m too fat for the army” trick. Well, I suppose it’s a good thing he didn’t try to fake a mental illness. Can you imagine the psychological evaluations? “Sir, I’m afraid you’re suffering from a severe case of… (dramatic pause) …donut- induced psychosis!” (in a silly voice)
And what about the friend who encouraged him? Six months in prison, suspended for a year. Harsh, if you ask me. I mean, who hasn’t had a mate who’s tried to talk them into doing something dodgy? “Come on, mate, just eat another bucket of fried chicken. It’ll be a laugh!” (in a Ricky Gervais-esque tone)
Now, let’s talk about the bigger picture. South Korea has a mandatory military service requirement, and it’s been a point of contention for years. Apparently, hundreds of conscientious objectors have been jailed, and many sports and music stars have had to put their careers on hold to serve. Including, of course, K-pop sensation BTS. (Lee Evans chimes in, with his signature high-energy tone) Oh, the horror! The Humanity! BTS, the biggest boyband in the world, forced to trade in their sparkly outfits for army fatigues! (sarcastically) The world must be a truly cruel place.
But, in all seriousness, the issue of military service is a complex one. The South Korean government has been working to make it more inclusive, providing alternative civilian functions for those who refuse to take up arms for religious or political reasons. And, of course, there’s the age-old debate about whether women should be conscripted as well. (in a cheeky tone) I mean, who wouldn’t want to see a female-led battalion of K-pop star-soldiers? (winks)
In conclusion, (in a sobering tone) the case of the South Korean man who ate his way out of military service is a reminder that, sometimes, people will go to great lengths to avoid their responsibilities. But, perhaps, it’s also a sign that the system needs to be re-examined. After all, as the great philosopher, Mr. Bean, once said, “A little bit of trouble is always worth it for a good excuse.” (winks)
A South Korean man, identified only as a male in his mid-20s, has successfully managed to dodge prison time after attempting to escape military service by intentionally gaining a substantial amount of weight.
The individual was sentenced to a one-year prison term, suspended for two years, by a Seoul court for violating the country’s Military Service Law, which deems it a crime to intentionally avoid conscription through deceitful means.
Initially deemed fit for service after an initial physical examination six years prior, the man deliberately consumed high-calorie foods, increased his food portions, avoided physically demanding work, and drank large amounts of water before measurements to inflate his weight, which ultimately led to him being ruled out of active duty in June last year with a body mass index classified as obese, tipping the scales at 102 kilograms.
According to the court’s November 13 ruling, “The defendant deliberately consumed high-calorie foods, approximately doubled his food portions, refrained from physically demanding work such as package delivery work, and drank large amounts of water just before measurements to deliberately increase his weight.”
Despite his previous actions, the man has since expressed his willingness to fulfill his military duty sincerely, leading the court to suspend his prison sentence, and has thus narrowly escaped imprisonment.
A friend, who encouraged the man to adopt his radical eating regimen, was also sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for a year, for complicity in the crime of attempting to evade military service through intentional weight gain.
Since the Korean War, almost all able-bodied men in South Korea have been required to serve in the military for a minimum of 18 months by the time they reach 28 years of age, a policy that has been in place for over 60 years.
This requirement has long been a contentious issue in South Korea, with hundreds of conscientious objectors imprisoned over the years for refusing to serve on moral or religious grounds, as reported by Amnesty International.
Furthermore, the law has also affected high-profile individuals, including K-pop phenomenon BTS, who went on hiatus in 2022 to fulfill their mandatory military service, and has been known to interrupt the careers of various sports and music stars.
In 2018, the Constitutional Court of South Korea ruled that the government must provide alternative civilian functions for those who refuse to take up arms for religious or political reasons, and has since worked to close loopholes exploited by draft dodgers.
However, the issue of mandatory military service has become a point of contention in heated gender wars, with women exempt from conscription and female volunteers making up a meager 3.6% of the Korean Army, prompting anti-feminist groups to argue that the policy provides women with an unfair advantage in the country’s competitive job market.
A 2018 survey found that 72% of Korean men in their 20s and 30s believed that conscription is a form of gender discrimination, while nearly 65% thought women should also be required to serve in the military, highlighting the growing discontent among young Korean men regarding the mandatory military service policy.
