Rapper nafla under investigation for draft evasion

Rapper nafla [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Rapper nafla, the winner of the seventh season of popular Mnet hip-hop competition show "Show Me The Money," is under investigation for draft evasion.

Seoul Nambu District Prosecutor's Office said it has been investigating the rapper, whose real name is Choi Seok-bae, for allegedly receiving unfair privileges from Seocho District Office, at which he is serving his mandatory military service as a public service worker. The privileges include excusing him from not turning up for work, which is draft-dodging.

The rapper has dual U.S.-Korea citizenship. As he could have avoided the military service altogether by giving up his Korean citizenship in the first place, his decision to serve the country, albeit as a public service worker instead of a soldier, was applauded by many.

Young Korean men who get a lower grade 4 on their physical evaluation substitute their military service by working as a social service agent at a public institution for 21, months unless they otherwise volunteer for active duty.

His label, Groovl1n, on Thursday confirmed that nafla was in fact investigated by the Prosecutors' Office.

The label also represents Ravi, a member of boy band VIXX who was also investigated after being accused of being a client to a broker who was recently arrested for manipulating medical records to help young men evade their mandatory military service. Ravi is currently serving as a social service agent in lieu of his active duty military service.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]