"1,000 Jump Ropes While Starving"...The Fate of a Man Who Dodged Military Service by Becoming Underweight

Reduced Weight Through Fasting and Intense Exercise to Be Classified as Social Service Agent
Court Rules "Clear Intent to Evade Active Duty"... Suspended Sentence

A man in his twenties who attempted to avoid active military service by artificially reducing his weight to be classified as a social service agent has been given a suspended sentence. The court concluded that his actions-damaging his body through abnormal fasting and intense exercise-constituted a violation of the Military Service Act.

On January 1, Presiding Judge An Kyungrok of the Daegu District Court Criminal Division 5 announced that he had sentenced Mr. A (in his twenties), who was indicted for violating the Military Service Act, to eight months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence. The court found Mr. A guilty on the grounds that he deliberately lost weight with the intention of evading active duty service.

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According to the investigation, Mr. A learned in early 2021 that if his body mass index (BMI) was below 16, he would be classified as grade 4 and could serve as a social service agent. From July of that year until just before his conscription examination, he attempted to lose weight. He reportedly performed 1,000 jump rope repetitions every day and drastically reduced his food intake for at least three days before the examination to lower his weight.

Mr. A, who was over 50 kg at a height of 175 cm, was measured at 46.9 kg (BMI 15.3) during the first conscription examination at the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Regional Military Manpower Administration in September 2021, and at 47.8 kg (BMI 15.5) during the second examination in November of the same year. As a result, he was classified as a social service agent in the supplementary service category.

During the trial, Mr. A claimed, "I only did jump rope to manage my physical fitness and did not intentionally restrict my food or water intake." However, urine test results indicated the possibility of "starvation or prolonged fasting," and messages exchanged with acquaintances revealed that he recognized weight loss as a means to evade military service. The court did not accept Mr. A's claims, taking these circumstances into account.

Judge An pointed out, "He intentionally lost weight to avoid active military service and even encouraged others around him to use the same method." However, he explained the reason for the suspended sentence, stating, "The methods did not amount to physical harm or injury, he was already underweight, and the amount of weight lost was not significant."