South Korean man binge eats to avoid mandatory military service
What's the story
In a bizarre case, a South Korean man has been convicted for deliberately putting on weight to avoid the country's mandatory military service.
The Seoul court found him guilty of violating the Military Service Act and sentenced him to a year in prison, suspended for two years.
The court found that he had intentionally gained weight by overeating and avoiding physically strenuous work.
Deliberate tactics
Court details man's weight gain strategy
In the ruling, the judge said that "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," CNN reported.
This tactic resulted in him being categorized as obese in June last year, weighing 102kg.
Aiding offense
Friend convicted for encouraging extreme eating strategy
After the court case, the man said he wanted to "fulfill his military duty sincerely."
A friend who had pushed him to take on the extreme eating plan was also found guilty.
The friend was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence for assisting the crime.
Draft debates
Mandatory military service: A contentious issue in South Korea
Mandatory military service has long 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.
Critics argue it disrupts personal lives and careers.
High-profile cases of draft evasion aren't uncommon either, with some young men attempting to manipulate the system through extreme weight fluctuations or feigned mental illnesses.
Equity issues
Gender equity debates fuel conscription controversies
Controversies over gender equity in conscription have also sparked heated debates.
A 2018 survey found that 72% of South Korean men in their 20s saw the draft as gender discrimination, while 65% felt women should also be conscripted.
Alarmingly, nearly 83% confessed they would dodge service if given the chance.
Women make up only 3.6% of military personnel, fueling resentment among many men in the country.