Footballers get suspended sentence after faking epilepsy to avoid military service

Kim Seung-jun walks out of the Seoul Southern District Court in Yangcheon District, western Seoul on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The Seoul Southern District Court on Wednesday sentenced Kim Seung-jun of Suwon FC and Kim Myoung-jun of Gyeongnam FC to one year in prison, suspended for two years, and 80 hours of community service for faking medical symptoms in an attempt to avoid mandatory military service.

Both players faked symptoms of epilepsy during medical inspections and obtained real medical documents confirming the diagnosis, even though they had previously been found suitable for active service in their initial military examination.

Kim Myoung-jun received a grade one — requiring him to serve in the military — in his military examination in 2013, but postponed his enlistment multiple times and received a grade seven in last year’s examination — a grade that requires reexamination — after submitting the false epilepsy diagnosis.

The Gyeognam player reportedly paid a broker 60 million won ($46,900) for advice on how to get the false diagnosis.

Kim Seung-jun also received a grade one in his initial examination in 2018 but deferred enrollment and received a grade seven last August, before he was later exempted from military service with a grade five — a grade that requires exemption — after submitting multiple treatment records to the Military Manpower Administration.

He also reportedly paid the broker 50 million won.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]