"Broker's Phone Reveals 'Rapper Ravi to Serve as Social Service Agent' Military Service Corruption Scandal"

Prosecution Opens Case Against Ravi for Military Service Act Violation
Evidence of Lowered Physical Grade Due to 'False Epilepsy' Claim

Ravi (30, real name Kim Won-sik), a rapper and member of the group VIXX, has been booked on charges of violating the Military Service Act. The corruption involving military service evasion through brokers appears to be spreading into the entertainment industry.

According to the Dong-A Ilbo and others on the 12th, the Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Eun-hye) identified circumstances in which Ravi requested military service-related consultations and received advice from broker Gu, whose phone was forensically examined after his arrest last year. It is known that documents related to Ravi's military service evaluation were found on Gu's mobile phone.

The military service broker gang designated and introduced a neurologist from a university hospital in Seoul to prospective conscripts who requested consultations. They informed these individuals how to obtain false epilepsy diagnosis certificates from this doctor, thereby lowering their physical grades and obtaining military service exemptions. In this process, they received fees ranging from tens of millions to up to 100 million won and were arrested and indicted on December 21 last year.

Member Ravi (30) of the group VIXX has been booked on charges of violating the Military Service Act.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The broker gang reportedly promoted the fact that they lowered the physical grades of famous people such as professional athletes to reduce their military service obligations. Earlier, volleyball player Jo Jae-sung (28, OK Financial Group) admitted to evading military service using the 'false epilepsy' method. The brokers claimed that a famous rapper also received a grade 4 physical evaluation with their help, and during the prosecution's investigation, it was confirmed that Ravi also received a diagnosis of epilepsy to lower his physical grade.

Ravi has been serving as a social service agent after stepping down from KBS 2TV's '1 Night 2 Days' last year. At the time of enlistment, Ravi stated on social media, “Due to health reasons, I plan to fulfill my national defense duties through social service.” Meanwhile, the fact that he was serving as a social service agent was first revealed in October last year, just before his enlistment, but it is known that Gu left a comment in March last year on a portal site question from a netizen saying, “Ravi is scheduled to enlist as a social service agent around the end of May.”

Ravi’s agency, GroovL1n, stated in an official position on the same day, “After receiving the report, we are carefully examining the related details,” adding, “Although it is appropriate to quickly provide a statement, since the matter concerns national defense duties, we believe it is proper to first understand the details thoroughly before giving a detailed explanation, and we are currently investigating the specifics.” They continued, “Furthermore, if there is any request related to this case, we will sincerely cooperate with the investigation at any time.”