Man jailed for getting tattooed all over to avoid military duty

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By Yoon Ja-young

A man was handed down a jail term for getting tattoos all over his body to avoid Korea's compulsory military service.

According to the Suwon District Court Wednesday, the man, in his 20s, was sentenced to one year in prison for violating the military service act.

The man underwent a physical examination for military conscription in March of 2019 and received a grade of 3, due to the tattoos he already had. In Korea all able-bodied men must serve in the military for 18 to 21 months. While those receiving grades of 1, 2 or 3 must serve in the military, those who receive a grade of 4 are assigned to less physically-demanding, public service positions.

After receiving a grade of 3, he got additional tattoos ― from his elbow to his wrist on both arms, on his right calf and on his belly ― in an apparent attempt to avoid serving in the military.

Four days after official commencement of service in July 2020, he was asked to return home and be reexamined, in which he was assessed as grade 4 and was assigned to the alternative service.

The man claimed that he had gradually gotten a number of tattoos on his body as he became fascinated with tattoos, and that he had no intention of evading military service.

The court, however, dismissed his claim.

The man had been given a grade of 4 in the physical examination back in 2015, citing a neuropsychiatric disease. It was found, however, that he had deceived the examiners, so he was sentenced to a one-year prison term in June 2018. He was released on parole in February 2019.

The prosecution concluded that he intentionally got more tattoos so as to evade military duty, even though he had previously been told that he could face prosecution if he were to get additional tattoos to avoid military service.

The judge noted in the ruling that those who "undermine the fundamentals of the military service system" deserve stern punishment, when considering the fact that the majority of young men obediently complete their military duty.

Due to the decreasing pool of conscriptees, following the demographic changes caused by Korea's low birthrate and rapidly aging society, the Military Manpower Administration started applying new criteria in the physical examination this year. Even those with tattoos must serve in the military. The conscription agency said that it made that decision because the negative social perception of tattoos has decreased.

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