SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- A total of 108 men have been indicted on charges of intentionally avoiding mandatory military service by posing as epilepsy patients, prosecutors said Monday.
The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office also indicted two brokers -- surnamed Koo and Kim -- and 20 others for allegedly helping them.
Among the alleged dodgers are rapper Ravi, whose real name is Kim Won-sik, professional athletes in the fields of volleyball and football, and an actor, prosecutors said.
Koo and Kim are under suspicion of providing tailored advice to their clients on ways to fake symptoms of epilepsy that would eventually disqualify them from their duties, they said.
The military dodgers allegedly faked various symptoms of epilepsy during hospital visits and later submitted fabricated certificates to authorities, prosecutors said.
After being deemed unfit to serve as soldiers due to health issues, they were either exempted from the duty or served as social service agents as an alternative form of service.
In the process, Koo and Kim pocketed 1.38 billion won (US$1.04 million) and 218 million won, respectively, in criminal proceeds, the prosecutors said.
Other accomplices also include family members and an acquaintance of the alleged dodgers who provided consulting fees or gave false testimony about epilepsy symptoms, the prosecutors said.
In the process of investigation, the prosecution office also additionally indicted seven others, including rapper Nafla, for alleged irregularities surrounding his military service as a social service agent.
Nafla allegedly colluded with his agent and five government officials to fake as if he had carried out the service even when he did not show up for work.
All able-bodied Korean men are obliged to serve in the Army for 18 months, the Navy for 20 months or the Air Force for 21 months.
Source: Yonhap News Agency