You So Big… Why You So Big?

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A 26-year-old South Korean man gained weight to avoid mandatory military service, following a high-calorie meal plan provided by a friend. He initially passed a physical exam in 2017 but postponed his service for five years due to attendance at the university. In June 2023, he underwent another exam, where he weighed 225 pounds (BMI of 35.8), qualifying only for a non-combat role. It was determined that this was an attempt to dodge the draft, which lead to a one-year suspended sentence. Perhaps most interesting is a friend who helped him received a six-month suspended sentence.

Man Thought He Could Eat His Way Out of Military Service
South Korean man who hoped to avoid combat intentionally made himself obese

By Arden Dier  |  Nov 25, 2024

A South Korean man who packed on the pounds in an effort to dodge mandatory military service will have to serve his country regardless, or face jail. The unnamed 26-year-old, who ate and ate until he was considered too obese to serve in a combat role, was convicted of trying to dodge the draft and received a one-year suspended sentence, per the BBC. He was considered fit for combat during an initial physical exam in October 2017 before successfully postponing his military service for five years as he attended university, per the Telegraph.

Due for another physical exam in June 2023, the man spent three months eating twice as much food as normal under guidance from a friend, who provided a high-calorie meal plan. That friend, found to have aided and abetted the scheme, received a six-month suspended sentence despite claiming he didn’t believe the defendant would follow through with the plan. Binge-eating had worked at least once before. In 2018, a dozen college students were classified as overweight after consuming large amounts of protein powder and juice on the day before their physical exams, the Independent reports.

In this case, the 5’5″ man weighed in at 225 pounds, for a body mass index of 35.8. Obesity is marked by a BMI of 30 or greater. He was then deemed fit only for a non-combat role. Able-bodied men in South Korea must serve the military for 18 months between the ages of 18 and 28 and those who evade military service without justifiable cause can be jailed for up to three years. The court said it handed down a “relatively lenient punishment” as the pair had no criminal record, per the Independent. The defendant also “acknowledged his wrongdoing and expressed a commitment to fulfilling his military duty,” the court said, per the Telegraph.

The South Korean military requires men aged 18-28 to serve for 18 months; avoiding service without justification can lead to up to three years in prison. The court considered the punishment lenient due to the defendant’s lack of a criminal record and his acknowledgment of wrongdoing.

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