A South Korean man was sentenced to one year in jail for deliberately binge-eating to avoid mandatory military service. Ahead of his military physical exam, the 26-year-old, whose name has not been disclosed, intentionally gained significant weight, reaching over 102 kg (225 lbs), to be categorised as unfit for combat roles and assigned to a non-combat government position, Korean Herald reported. 

The man reportedly consumed large amounts of food, including instant noodles, pizza, and fried chicken, to rapidly gain weight. He allegedly gained 24 kg (52.8 lbs) in just three months, taking his body mass index (BMI) to 37.8, which is considered obese. The man planned to use his weight gain as a reason to be exempt from military service, which is mandatory for able-bodied Korean men between the ages of 18 and 35.

However, his scheme was discovered, and he was subsequently charged with attempting to evade military service. While the maximum penalty for draft evasion is three years, his sentence was reduced due to his lack of prior offences and a promise to serve faithfully. He received a one-year suspended sentence, while his friend, who helped him double his daily food intake, got six months in jail.

The man’s friend testified in court that he had jokingly suggested the weight gain plan, never expecting his friend to take it seriously and actually go through with it.

All able-bodied men in South Korea over 18 must serve in the army for at least 18 months, as per the BBC. The policy is rooted in the country’s ongoing tensions with North Korea. This universal conscription ensures a steady supply of personnel for the armed forces, which are vital for national defence. While exemptions exist for individuals with health issues or outstanding achievements in fields like sports or arts, avoiding service through deliberate means is heavily penalised. 

In a similar incident in 2018, a group of South Korean college graduates intentionally gained significant weight through excessive eating to avoid mandatory military service, essentially trying to classify themselves as too obese to serve in combat roles. 

Two women have claimed they were kicked off an Air New Zealand flight because of their ‘size’. According to theNew York Post,  Angel Harding had been travelling home from Napier to Auckland with two other women earlier this month when the alleged incident happened. 

She claims a flight attendant forcibly tried to lower her armrests on the ATR regional plane service, causing her physical pain. The attendant told Ms Harding that the pilot couldn’t take off until they were in the correct position.

”I was kind of in shock. I moved forward, and she started yelling that the pilot couldn’t take off unless all the armrests were down, and she was quite aggressive to me,” she told 1 News. 

She continued: “She was aggressively speaking to me. I couldn’t believe what was happening to me.”

When Ms Harding’s friend asked the crew member whether she should be seated as the plane was in motion, she replied saying, ”I can get you both kicked off this flight.”

The flight attendant then spoke into a phone before telling all passengers they would need to exit the plane due to an ‘inconvenience’.

The plane then turned back and all the passengers were taken off. Ms Harding said she and her friend were subsequently not allowed to reboard and they were told that in future they should book two seats each.

“I believe they took me off because of my build, because of my size. They didn’t explicitly say it was because of that, but they said it was an inconvenience,” Ms Harding expressed.

When the pair informed Air New Zealand they couldn’t afford the ticket, the airline footed the bill and covered all their expenses. 

Later, Air New Zealand also issued an apology to two passengers. ”We are committed to treating all customers with respect and dignity and we apologize that these customers received an inconsistent experience. We will continue to work with the customer directly to address their concerns,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement. 

”We strongly recommend customers who require additional space get in touch with us before their flight to ensure a safe and comfortable journey. If there is space available on the aircraft and a customer requires extra room, our teams will accommodate them with an empty seat next to them. We work to ensure every customer has a safe and comfortable journey,” the statement added. 

Nevertheless, Ms Harding and her friend are seeking compensation for hurt, humiliation and trauma.

”We’re all humans, we’re all human, and I don’t ever want anyone to go through the trauma that we are going through right now,” she said.