All Korean men have mandatory military service at least once in their life unless they have physical or mental defficiency.
Army has been a frightening place for most young Korean kids in their late teenage years and early twenties.
Despite the fact that a mandatory service period is getting shorter, some kids are looking for a way to avoid the military obligation legally but with pain and high risk.
According to a regulation, people who have cronic problem with their shouder or people who don't have index finger are automaticaly dismissed from army duty. Everything seems fine. However, there are increasing reports of some people who are causing these injuries purposely in order to avoid the military obligation.
Not long ago, some famous TV stars were caught deliberately pulling their shoulder socket out of place to cause an injury that would release them from the service duty. Moreover, there was a report of a man cutting off his index finger with the same objective.
I believe the mandatory army obligation is being even more serious nowadays than before. However, a discussion on this issue could bring some interesting solutions for something that has become the terror of youth. Instead of all men having to going to the army, the government could define on necessary number of recruts annually and draw among the young people with age for service.
