Draft dodger ordered to do his duty
Published: 02 Sep. 2009, 21:55
A Korean man who has been dodging his mandatory military service for six years by presenting counterfeit foreign citizenship documents has been nabbed and ordered to enlist.
The Justice Ministry announced yesterday the 34-year-old named Lee was caught trying to renounce his Korean citizenship with fake documents showing citizenship for Ecuador.
The ministry said Lee paid a Korean broker in Ecuador 8 million won ($6,400) to produce fake documents, but in 2005 the broker was arrested, which led police to Lee. In 2007, Lee walked away with a two-year suspended jail term. At the time, he pledged in court that he would enlist in the military.
But earlier this year, Lee once again tried to dodge his military duty, handing in documents for another fake Ecuadorian citizenship. The Justice Ministry checked his travel records and learned that Lee had never stayed for an extended period in that country. Also, the Ecuadorian government informed the ministry that Lee had not obtained Ecuadorian citizenship.
The Justice Ministry rejected Lee’s request to renounce his Korean citizenship. The Military Manpower Administration, an agency under the Ministry of National Defense that manages military service-related issues, was informed of the move, and promptly sent him a draft notice.
The Justice Ministry said a criminal investigation on Lee remained a possibility. Cha Gyu-geun, head of the nationality division at the ministry, said the ministry would check more closely the travel records of people wanting to give up their Korean citizenship. Ministry data shows that 122,575 Koreans gave up their citizenship from 2004 to June this year.
Under law, healthy Korean men between 19 and 35 are required to serve in the military.
By Yoo Jee-ho [[email protected]]
The Justice Ministry announced yesterday the 34-year-old named Lee was caught trying to renounce his Korean citizenship with fake documents showing citizenship for Ecuador.
The ministry said Lee paid a Korean broker in Ecuador 8 million won ($6,400) to produce fake documents, but in 2005 the broker was arrested, which led police to Lee. In 2007, Lee walked away with a two-year suspended jail term. At the time, he pledged in court that he would enlist in the military.
But earlier this year, Lee once again tried to dodge his military duty, handing in documents for another fake Ecuadorian citizenship. The Justice Ministry checked his travel records and learned that Lee had never stayed for an extended period in that country. Also, the Ecuadorian government informed the ministry that Lee had not obtained Ecuadorian citizenship.
The Justice Ministry rejected Lee’s request to renounce his Korean citizenship. The Military Manpower Administration, an agency under the Ministry of National Defense that manages military service-related issues, was informed of the move, and promptly sent him a draft notice.
The Justice Ministry said a criminal investigation on Lee remained a possibility. Cha Gyu-geun, head of the nationality division at the ministry, said the ministry would check more closely the travel records of people wanting to give up their Korean citizenship. Ministry data shows that 122,575 Koreans gave up their citizenship from 2004 to June this year.
Under law, healthy Korean men between 19 and 35 are required to serve in the military.
By Yoo Jee-ho [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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