Man Gains 20 Kilos to Escape Military Duty
play the system: to use rules or loopholes unfairly to gain an advantage
Mandatory military service is required in 49 countries around the world. One South Korean man recently found an unusual way to avoid it. He gained over 20 kilograms (44 pounds), which made him ineligible to join.
In South Korea, all healthy men must serve 18-21 months in the military. However, those with health issues can do community service instead. To qualify for this, the man doubled his food intake and quit his job as a delivery worker. His plan of eating more and moving less worked, and he was assigned to social service.
Some say South Korea’s mandatory military service is essential due to threats from North Korea. This young man’s actions did not go unnoticed. A court sentenced him to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for trying to play the system. His friend, who helped with the plan, received a similar sentence. Both men accepted the ruling, with the man promising to complete his military service.
Sample sentences
He set up his company as a religious organization to avoid taxes. He knows how to play the system, but he’ll eventually get caught.
The cyclist slowed down just before crossing the finish line in a qualifying race. He played the system to avoid facing stronger competitors in the next round.
The company set up a small office in a rural area to qualify for tax benefits. They played the system even though most of their employees still worked in the city.
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South Korean man convicted for deliberately gaining weight to evade military service