South Korean man convicted for evading military service through weight gain

A Seoul court convicted a 26-year-old South Korean man of violating the Military Service Act by intentionally gaining weight to avoid mandatory military service.

Despite initially qualifying for combat duty with a Grade 2 (second-highest grade) assessment in 2017, the defendant doubled his food intake and drank excessive water to reach 102.3 kilograms (225 pounds) with a BMI of 35.8 by his 2023 physical. The resulting Grade 4 assessment meant disqualification from combat roles.

The man, whose name was not released, received a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and will now complete his military duty. His friend, who provided the weight-gain plan, received a six-month suspended sentence for aiding and abetting.

In South Korea, where military service is mandatory for able-bodied men, 37% of draft-evasion tactic cases in 2017 involved deliberate weight manipulation.