South Korean man binge eats, becomes obese to avoid mandatory military service

Nearly all able-bodied men in South Korea are required to serve for at least 18 months before turning 28. (Representational)

A South Korean man who deliberately gained excessive weight to avoid mandatory military service has avoided jail time after promising to fulfill his duty. The Seoul court’s November 13 ruling sheds light on growing controversies surrounding the country's compulsory conscription system.

The man, whose identity has been withheld, was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for two years, for violating South Korea’s Military Service Act. The court found that he had intentionally gained weight through overeating and refrained from physically strenuous work to dodge military service.

“The defendant consumed high-calorie foods, approximately doubled his meal portions, refrained from physically demanding jobs such as parcel delivery work, and drank large amounts of water right before measurements to deliberately increase his weight,” the judge stated in the ruling, CNN reported.

In June last year, the man, weighing 102 kilograms with a body mass index classified as obese, was deemed unfit for active duty—six years after being ruled eligible for service in an earlier medical examination. Following the legal proceedings, he expressed his intention to "fulfill his military duty sincerely," the court noted.

A friend who encouraged the man’s extreme eating strategy was also convicted, receiving a six-month suspended prison sentence for aiding the offense.

Mandatory military service has been a contentious issue in South Korea, where nearly all able-bodied men are required to serve for at least 18 months before turning 28. While the system is seen as crucial for national defense since the Korean War, critics argue it disrupts personal lives and careers.

High-profile cases of draft evasion are not uncommon. Some young men have attempted to manipulate the system through extreme weight fluctuations, feigned mental illnesses, full-body tattoos, or even self-harm. In 2018, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported numerous cases of individuals exploiting such tactics, prompting the military to close loopholes like tattoo-based exemptions.

Despite these measures, the draft remains a polarising issue. Religious and political objectors have long faced imprisonment, though a 2018 Constitutional Court ruling now allows alternative civilian service. However, controversies over gender equity in conscription have fueled heated debates.

A 2018 survey revealed that 72% of South Korean men in their 20s viewed the draft as gender discrimination, while 65% believed women should also be conscripted. Alarmingly, nearly 83% admitted they would dodge service if given the chance. women account for just 3.6% of military personnel, prompting resentment among many men in the country.