The man has now been sentenced to a two-year conditional prison sentence for violating the country's military laws, announces a court in Seoul.
In South Korea, all "able-bodied" men must perform military service for 18-21 months. Individuals with health problems can, however, be exempt and are often assigned community service instead. This appears to be what the man, who according to local media is 26 years old, was aiming for.
A physical examination in 2017 found the man to be suitable for military service. He was then 169 centimeters tall and weighed 83 kilograms. However, in three examinations conducted in 2022-2023, the man weighed between 102 and 105 kilograms - a weight that qualifies for community service, according to the investigation. He is said to have consumed large amounts of water before the weigh-in.
It is unclear how the offense was discovered and whether the man had begun his military service before the trial took place.
