Avoid Military Service With Tattoos All Over His Body, South Korean Man Sentenced To Prison

JAKARTA - A man was sentenced to prison for getting tattoos all over his body to avoid Korean military service.

The man, who is known to be in his 20s, was sentenced to one year in prison for violating the Military Service Act, according to the Suwon District Court.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men must serve in the military for 18-21 months. The man underwent a physical examination for military service in March 2019 and got a score of 3, because of the tattoo he already had.

According to the regulations, those who receive 1, 2 or 3 marks must serve in the military. Meanwhile, those who received a 4 were assigned to less physically demanding public service positions.

The problem is, after receiving a 3, this man added tattoos on his body from elbow to wrist on both arms, on his right calf to his stomach as a real effort to avoid military service.

Four days after officially starting service in July 2020, he was asked to return home and re-examined, where he was graded 4th grade and assigned to alternative service.

The man claims he gradually got a number of tattoos on his body as he became fascinated with tattoos, and he has no intention of avoiding military service. However, the court rejected his claim.

Much earlier, he had been given a 4 in a physical examination in 2015, citing a neuropsychiatric illness. However, it was later discovered that he had deceived the examiners, resulting in him being sentenced to one year in prison in June 2018. He was later released on parole in February 2019.

Prosecutors concluded he intentionally got more tattoos to avoid military duty, even though he had previously been told he could face prosecution if he wanted to get additional tattoos to avoid military service.

The judge noted in the ruling, those who "damaged the very foundations of the military service system" deserved severe punishment, when considering the fact the majority of youths dutifully completed their military duties.

Due to the reduced number of conscripts, following the demographic changes caused by Korea's low birth rate and rapidly aging society, the Military Manpower Administration began implementing new criteria for physical examinations this year.

In fact, even those who have tattoos must be conscripted into the military. The conscription agency said the decision was made as negative social perceptions about tattoos had declined.