Military investigators in South Korea identified a group of 12 students in a Seoul university, who made a coordinated effort to gain weight to become ineligible for mandatory military service. Those involved could face jail time.
South Korea has some of the strictest rules about mandatory service. Every young man has to complete his service, with exemptions given to very few, such as people with debilitating conditions or Olympic medalists. For example, being a K-pop idol would not spare one from undertaking military service, so fans of bands such as BTS compile lengthy charts to track when this or that singer would be able to hang up his uniform and get back on stage.
There are also those who are found ineligible for active duty but still healthy enough to serve in the less-demanding alternative civil service, working low-paid jobs at tube stations, parking lots or government offices. There are several ways to fit into that category (including getting a tattoo big enough to be considered inappropriate) but gaining extra weight is most popular.
The 12 accused draft dodgers are all classical music vocalists, who received majors from the same university. They apparently thought they would have more time to practice if they stayed away from the barracks and shared tips on how to better achieve their goals in a group chat.
