South Korean man is convicted after binge eating to avoid military service
NBCNOV 2024
S.Korea: Man Convicted of Gaining Weight to Avoid Military Draft
Above: South Korean soldiers participate in an anti-terror exercise during the 2024 Ulchi exercise at KSPO dome on Aug. 20, 2024, in Seoul, South Korea. Image copyright: Chung Sung-Jun/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
It's common sense that it would be better if South Korea could get rid of the military draft and move to an all-volunteer armed force — the country simply can't, though. Other armies that rely on all-volunteer forces are already struggling to recruit soldiers, and that could be even worse in South Korea as its birth rate falls.
Narrative B
While an all-volunteer system may be unfeasible right now, South Korea should focus on increasing the number of volunteer soldiers and reducing that of conscripts. Even in the face of military threats from North Korea, it's pretty odd that South Korea remains one of the few industrialized countries that still draft its young people.