Obesity Drives Military Service Exemptions in Taiwan: Report

The Ministry of the Interior in Taiwan has identified obesity as the leading cause of military service exemptions over the past decade. This statement comes amid increasing scrutiny regarding allegations related to conscription evasion. According to the Department of Conscription Administration (DCA), approximately 16 percent of eligible men, equating to around 17,000 individuals, were exempted from compulsory military service in the previous year.

Data from the DCA indicates that about 30 percent of these exemptions were attributed to obesity. Other significant reasons for exemptions included low intelligence aptitude scores, flat or deformed feet, irregular heartbeat, and various mental health conditions. This information was disclosed as investigations continue into claims that several entertainers have fraudulently avoided military conscription.

Earlier this week, four prominent figures from the entertainment industry were questioned after admitting to paying for falsified medical reports. Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang stated that the use of fake medical certificates, often citing conditions such as high blood pressure, has become alarmingly common. Other cited health reasons for evasion included psychiatric disorders, inflammatory spinal disease related to arthritis, and pneumothorax, a lung condition.

Review of Military Fitness Criteria Underway

In response to these issues, the interior ministry, alongside the Ministry of National Defense, is currently reviewing the criteria for military fitness classification. Presently, men with a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 35 qualify for exemption. Officials have indicated that there are discussions to potentially raise this threshold to 45.

In Taiwan, all eligible male citizens are mandated to complete at least one year of military service, typically around the age of 18, as per the Act of Military Service for Officers and Non-commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces. 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. When the requirement reverted to one year, the exemption rate fell to 16 percent, still higher than the government’s target.

Data from the first eight months of this year shows that obesity remains the primary reason for exemptions, followed by foot deformities, irregular heartbeat, low cognitive scores, and neurosis.

From 2015 to 2022, a total of 2,146 individuals faced prosecution for leaving Taiwan without authorization to avoid conscription. Additionally, 572 were charged with intentionally injuring themselves or falsifying medical records to alter their eligibility status. Of these cases, 125 were brought to court, resulting in 94 receiving prison sentences of less than six months, while one individual was sentenced to up to two years.

This ongoing situation highlights the challenges faced by Taiwan’s military conscription system and raises questions about the integrity of medical assessments used to determine eligibility.