Pro sportsmen in draft-dodging scam
Published: 18 Sep. 2009, 22:57
The Ilsan Police Precinct in Gyeonggi said yesterday that a number of professional athletes engaged in the sports of football, volleyball, handball and martial arts have either evaded mandatory military duty or substituted military service by working as public servants after having surgery on fake shoulder injuries.
Police said yesterday that they have questioned 45 suspected draft dodgers, including an unemployed 23-year-old man named Kwon, and decided to seek a warrant to detain some 20 athletes who have admitted they had tried to avoid their military service.
“Seven to eight professional football players, two volleyball players, one handball player, two K-1 martial arts fighters, three to four rugby athletes at a university in Seoul and local province and one traditional wrestler were exempted from compulsory military duty after having shoulder operations,” said a police officer who asked not to be named.
Investigators said Kwon and the other suspects visited an orthopedic clinic in Nonhyeon-dong in southern Seoul between January 2006 and June this year to get surgery, claiming they were suffering from joint fractures in their shoulders.
Kwon and the others eventually underwent surgery and the doctor issued a written diagnosis during a physical exam for the would-be new recruits, police said.
The Ilsan Police Precinct said the offenders found out about the clinic through an online community related to military service or fellow colleagues. They paid more than 2 million won ($1,658) for the surgery.
The police said they will summon 159 more suspected dodgers over the weekend who have allegedly undergone shoulder surgery in order to evade military duty. Investigators are slated to subpoena the doctor on Monday.
By Lee Min-yong [[email protected]]
Police said yesterday that they have questioned 45 suspected draft dodgers, including an unemployed 23-year-old man named Kwon, and decided to seek a warrant to detain some 20 athletes who have admitted they had tried to avoid their military service.
“Seven to eight professional football players, two volleyball players, one handball player, two K-1 martial arts fighters, three to four rugby athletes at a university in Seoul and local province and one traditional wrestler were exempted from compulsory military duty after having shoulder operations,” said a police officer who asked not to be named.
Investigators said Kwon and the other suspects visited an orthopedic clinic in Nonhyeon-dong in southern Seoul between January 2006 and June this year to get surgery, claiming they were suffering from joint fractures in their shoulders.
Kwon and the others eventually underwent surgery and the doctor issued a written diagnosis during a physical exam for the would-be new recruits, police said.
The Ilsan Police Precinct said the offenders found out about the clinic through an online community related to military service or fellow colleagues. They paid more than 2 million won ($1,658) for the surgery.
The police said they will summon 159 more suspected dodgers over the weekend who have allegedly undergone shoulder surgery in order to evade military duty. Investigators are slated to subpoena the doctor on Monday.
By Lee Min-yong [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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