A South Korean man who falsely claimed to have depression to avoid combat duty in military has been sentenced to one year in jail, suspended for two years, the Daegu District Court said Sunday.

The 26-year-old defendant, based on false claims he made to medical staff, was diagnosed with depression last year at a Daegu-based university hospital. He then submitted his diagnosis to the Military Manpower Administration and received grade 4 in his physical examination, which made him eligible to serve in a non-combat role.

The physical examination, conducted for the military service required of all able-bodied South Korean men, grades a draftee's physical condition on a scale of 1 to 7. Draftees in grades 1 through 3 are assigned to active combat duty, while those in grade 4 serve as Social Service Personnel.

It was found that despite the defendant's claims, he had never been treated or medicated for the supposed mental illness.

The defendant had been given grade 2 in his first exam in 2017, but attempted to lower his classification by repeatedly submitting medical records. Investigators found that he had faked depression to get out of combat duties in 2022 using a diagnosis from a smaller hospital in the city.