Draft Dodger Binge Eats to Avoid Military Service in South Korea

In a surprising case in Seoul, a 26-year-old man was found guilty of attempting to evade South Korea's mandatory military service. He deliberately gained weight by binge eating ahead of his physical examination, resulting in being classified as obese, which allowed him to serve in a non-combat role instead of undergoing standard military training. The court imposed a one-year suspended sentence on the man, while a friend, who helped him devise the weight gain strategy, received a six-month suspended sentence.

All able-bodied South Korean men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required to serve in the military for a minimum of 18 months. Initially deemed fit for combat during his first examination, the man later tipped the scales at over 102kg (225 lbs) during the final evaluation, solidifying his non-combat status. The friend, accused of facilitating the binge eating plan, refuted the charges, asserting he never anticipated his friend's extreme actions.