Broker is arrested in alleged draft-dodging scam
Published: 18 Sep. 2009, 02:34
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency arrested Wednesday a 32-year-old military service broker surnamed Yun on charges of assisting 47 men to be exempted from mandatory military duty, enlist at a later date or be allowed to serve as paid public workers.
Yun attracted clients by posting an online message saying that he could postpone the date of enlistment by using the identification of a hospital emergency room patient, police said.
The broker had opened a Web site related to military service in 2006.
Investigators said that when clients called the broker, Yun would explain them that he not only could help in delaying enlistment, but avoiding it altogether.
Then Yun instructed clients to first take physical exam as usual and tell medical officers that they suffered from muscle spasms.
Yun would allow patients who were suffering from actual spasms to get medical treatment using the health insurance cards of the would-be enlisted men.
After medical examinations, hospitals issue a written diagnosis.
Clients would submit such documents to the Military Manpower Administration, an agency under the Ministry of National Defense that manages military service-related issues.
Yun took an advantage of a fact that there is no identification photo on health insurance cards and most of hospitals do not check identification cards in an emergency room at night, according to police.
Investigators raided Yun’s office and four university hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital and Hanyang University Medical Center, the same day Yun was arrested.
Officers are also tracking down clients.
Investigators said two men obtained immunity from the military service, 16 were diverted to work as public servants and 29 were told to enlist in a later date.
Police said they would intensify their investigation after receiving statements that a popular singer and a race car driver were involved.
The two allegedly each paid the broker seven million won ($5,810). Others offered between one and three million won, police said.
By law, healthy Korean men between ages 19 and 35 are required to serve in the military.
By Kim Jeen-kyung, Lee Min-yong [[email protected]]
Yun attracted clients by posting an online message saying that he could postpone the date of enlistment by using the identification of a hospital emergency room patient, police said.
The broker had opened a Web site related to military service in 2006.
Investigators said that when clients called the broker, Yun would explain them that he not only could help in delaying enlistment, but avoiding it altogether.
Then Yun instructed clients to first take physical exam as usual and tell medical officers that they suffered from muscle spasms.
Yun would allow patients who were suffering from actual spasms to get medical treatment using the health insurance cards of the would-be enlisted men.
After medical examinations, hospitals issue a written diagnosis.
Clients would submit such documents to the Military Manpower Administration, an agency under the Ministry of National Defense that manages military service-related issues.
Yun took an advantage of a fact that there is no identification photo on health insurance cards and most of hospitals do not check identification cards in an emergency room at night, according to police.
Investigators raided Yun’s office and four university hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital and Hanyang University Medical Center, the same day Yun was arrested.
Officers are also tracking down clients.
Investigators said two men obtained immunity from the military service, 16 were diverted to work as public servants and 29 were told to enlist in a later date.
Police said they would intensify their investigation after receiving statements that a popular singer and a race car driver were involved.
The two allegedly each paid the broker seven million won ($5,810). Others offered between one and three million won, police said.
By law, healthy Korean men between ages 19 and 35 are required to serve in the military.
By Kim Jeen-kyung, Lee Min-yong [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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