Obesity Leads Military Service Exemptions in Taiwan Amid Scandals

The primary reason for military service exemptions in Taiwan over the past decade has been identified as obesity, according to the Ministry of the Interior. This revelation comes during a period of scrutiny over allegations of conscription evasion involving several entertainers. In the previous year, approximately 16 percent of eligible men, equating to around 17,000 individuals, were exempted from compulsory military service, as reported by the Department of Conscription Administration (DCA).

Obesity accounted for 30 percent of these exemptions. Other notable reasons for exemption included low intelligence aptitude scores, flat or deformed feet, irregular heartbeat, and various mental health conditions. The DCA’s findings highlight a significant trend that raises questions about the effectiveness of current military fitness classification criteria.

Conscription Evasion Scandal Unfolds

The ministry’s announcement coincides with ongoing investigations into claims that multiple entertainers have fraudulently avoided military service. Earlier this week, four actors and singers were questioned by authorities after admitting to paying for falsified medical reports that cited high blood pressure as a reason for exemption.

Liu Shyh-fang, the Minister of the Interior, noted that the use of fake medical certificates to evade military service has become “very common.” These fraudulent documents often cite various health issues, such as psychiatric disorders, inflammatory spinal diseases related to arthritis, and a lung condition known as pneumothorax.

In response to these issues, both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of National Defense are currently reviewing the criteria for military fitness classification. The existing regulations allow men with a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 35 to qualify for exemption. Officials have indicated that they are considering raising this threshold to 45 in an effort to minimize abuse of the system.

Changes in Military Service Requirements

Under the Act of Military Service for Officers and Non-commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces, all eligible male citizens in Taiwan are required to complete at least one year of military service, typically around the age of 18. Between 2013 and 2023, the duration of compulsory military service was reduced to four months, leading to an exemption rate of approximately 20 percent to 25 percent.

Since the reinstatement of the one-year service requirement, the exemption rate has decreased to 16 percent, although officials still deem this figure higher than desirable. Data from January to August of this year again showed obesity as the leading reason for exemptions, followed by foot deformities, irregular heartbeat, low cognitive scores, and neurosis.

From 2015 to last year, a total of 2,146 individuals faced prosecution for leaving Taiwan without authorization to evade conscription. In addition, 572 people were charged with intentionally injuring themselves or falsifying medical records to change their eligibility status. Of these cases, 125 reached the courts, with 94 resulting in prison sentences of less than six months, and one individual receiving a sentence of up to two years.

The current situation underscores the ongoing challenges facing Taiwan’s military conscription system, particularly regarding health criteria and the integrity of medical documentation.