South Korean man caught deliberately binge eating to get out of National Service

A 26-year-old South Korean man who purposely put on weight so he could avoid military service, and his friend who devised a plan for him to pack on the pounds, have been given suspended jail sentences

A South Korean man has been found guilty of binge eating in order to avoid mandatory military service.

It's believed the 26-year-old deliberately gained weight so that he would fail a physical examination which is needed for the draft, a judge in the capital, Seoul, said.

According the a local media outlet, the man was categorised as obese which meant he was able to serve in a non-combat role at a government agency. It was claimed a friend of the defendant had created a special weight-gaining plan which meant his daily calories intake was doubled.

A court imposed a one-year suspended sentence on the man, while his friend, who created the weight-gain programme as given a six-month suspended sentence, the Korea Herald newspaper reports.

All able-bodied men in South Korea over the age of 18 must serve in the army for at least 18 months, the BBC reports. According to the Korean Herald, the defendant was assessed as fit for combat duty during an initial physical exam.

At the final examination last year, he weighed in at over 102kg - the equivalent of 16 stone or 225lbs. This meant he was categorised as being heavily obese. The man who recommended binge dieting had denied the charge of aiding and abetting, saying he never believed his friend would through with it, the newspaper adds.

A National Service programme has not run in Britain since the 1960s. But that could soon change. After the Tories proposed bringing it back for 18-year-olds in the run up to the general election, here's which countries still have national service. In the UK, compulsory national service required all physically fit British men, aged between 18 and 26, to serve in the armed forces.

It offered several roles at home, such as clerical work, and abroad, including fighting on the frontline. Students and apprentices could defer until they had completed their education or training. According to the World Population Review, 80 countries globally currently have some form of national service or conscription in place. In total, 66 counties have made military service mandatory.

In Switzerland, 18 weeks of military service training is mandatory for all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 30, as well as yearly refresher courses. Those who object can take part in civilian service, which is longer, and focuses on social welfare, healthcare and environmental protection.

In Sweden, all citizens must complete a military enlistment form after turning 18 and, if selected, enrol in basic military training. Conscription in Denmark is mandatory for all physically fit men over the age of 18. Only around 5,000 undergo basic training, but people remain eligible for further conscription until the age of 50.

In Estonia, men aged 18-27 must partake in mandatory military or government national service. The duration is eight to 11 months, depending on a person's education and rank. Reservists must attend military training courses every five years. In 2015, the Lithuanian Armed Forces reintroduced compulsory military service for men aged 19-26. Conscripts must serve for a minimum of nine months.

All men in Russia aged between 18 and 30 must complete twelve months of military service or join the ‘alternate civil service’ for 21 months in jobs such as nurses, cleaners, and postal workers. Conscription takes place twice a year during spring and autumn. Norway has technically had compulsory military service since 1907, with men and women aged between 19 and 44 (or 18 to 55 in times of war) ordered to complete nineteen months of service. But it is highly competitive in reality - in 2023, 9,840 people were accepted - just over a quarter. Citizens who aren’t medically fit, or are conscious objectors are exempt.

All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve between 18 to 21 months in the armed forces by the time they are 28. The length varies per branch, with those in the Army or Marines serving 18 months, conscripts in the Navy or firefighting service serving 20 months, and any conscripts in the Air Force required to serve 21 months. Conscientious objectors struggle to gain employment and can be forced to carry out 36 months of service working in the prison system

Most Israeli men and women must enrol in military service at 18. Men are expected to serve a minimum of 32 months and women a minimum of 24 months.