Investigators indict 137 in draft-dodging scandal

Social Affairs

Published: 13 Mar. 2023, 19:38 Updated: 13 Mar. 2023, 19:50

Investigators indict 137 in draft-dodging scandal

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutor's Office in Yangcheon District, western Seoul [NEWS1]

Prosecutors on Monday announced a final round of indictments in a case involving a fixer who helped over 100 men avoid mandatory military conscription by falsifying medical documents, including entertainers and athletes.

A total of 137 persons have been indicted in the three-month investigation by Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office and Military Manpower Administration.

The team indicted 49 more alleged draft dodgers and nine accomplices accused of helping them on Monday.

Ravi of VIXX [GROOVL1N]

The indicted individuals included Ravi of boy band VIXX, several professional athletes and an actor accused of faking symptoms of epilepsy during hospital visits and submitting fabricated certificates to the Military Manpower Administration to get out of their mandatory military service.

Two brokers surnamed Kim and Koo and other 20 accomplices, including family members and acquaintances of the alleged military dodgers who have allegedly helped the evasion, have also been indicted by the prosecutors.

The prosecutors expanded their investigation after indicting the 47-year-old broker surnamed Koo on Dec. 21. The 38-year-old broker surnamed Kim was indicted the following month.

A total of 108 suspected draft dodgers and 20 accomplices who allegedly helped them have been sent to the prosecution.

Two accused military dodgers were detained as they denied the allegations against them.

The alleged draft dodgers include many athletes, including professional volleyball, football, golf, badminton and horse riding and track and field.

According to the prosecution, the two brokers are accused of receiving 3 million won ($2,300) to 110 million won for each consultation session.

Koo is accused of pocketing some 1.3 billion won and Kim 217.6 million won. Both admitted their crimes in a trial held earlier in the year.

The two are accused of manipulating medical records to help young men evade their mandatory military service from Sept. 2019 to Oct. 2022.

In Korea, all able-bodied men must serve in the military for 18 months or more, depending on the service branch.

Rapper Nafla [MKIT RAIN]

The prosecutors on Monday additionally indicted seven others, including rapper Nafla, for allegedly receiving unfair privileges from Seocho District Office.

Nafla is serving as a public service worker at Seocho District Office.

Koo allegedly received some 2.5 million won from the rapper to help him fabricate medical records showing he suffers from severe depression.

The public servant in the district office is also accused of fabricating Nafla's attendance for about 141 days. The fake diagnosis for depression came as Nafla failed to gain an exception with a fake diagnosis for epilepsy.

The draft dodging scandal led the Military Manpower Administration to designate epilepsy as a major disease to be strictly looked at, such as by strengthening the diagnosis standard through a blood test and establishing a system that can filter those who are suspected of manipulating their health records.

The Korean government examines every male citizen’s physical and mental condition to determine whether they are fit for active duty.

Draftees are classified into physical grades from 1 to 6: 1 to 3 serve in the military for 18 months as active-duty personnel, while those ranked 4 substitute their service by working as social service agents at public institutions for 21 months unless they volunteer for active duty. Grades 5 and 6 are exempt from active duty.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, HA JUN-HO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]