In an unusual case in South Korea, a 26-year-old man was found guilty of attempting to evade his mandatory military service by binge eating in a deliberate effort to gain weight, local media report. The court, situated in Seoul, revealed that the man engaged in a regimented eating plan prior to his physical examination, leading to his classification as obese. This classification allowed him to be assigned to a non-combat role at a government agency.
The individual received a one-year suspended sentence, while his friend, who had devised a high-calorie regimen contributing to the man's condition, was sentenced to six months' suspension. The Korea Herald reported that all able-bodied men in South Korea, aged 18 or older, are required to serve a minimum of 18 months in the military.
Initially, during an early physical exam, the man was deemed fit for combat duty; however, his weight skyrocketed to over 102kg (225 lbs) during the final assessment, categorizing him as severely obese. The accomplice denied any guilt, maintaining that he never anticipated his friend would actually follow through with the extreme weight gain strategy, according to the newspaper.
The individual received a one-year suspended sentence, while his friend, who had devised a high-calorie regimen contributing to the man's condition, was sentenced to six months' suspension. The Korea Herald reported that all able-bodied men in South Korea, aged 18 or older, are required to serve a minimum of 18 months in the military.
Initially, during an early physical exam, the man was deemed fit for combat duty; however, his weight skyrocketed to over 102kg (225 lbs) during the final assessment, categorizing him as severely obese. The accomplice denied any guilt, maintaining that he never anticipated his friend would actually follow through with the extreme weight gain strategy, according to the newspaper.
