The South Korean Supreme Court has upheld an 18-month prison sentence imposed on a South Korean man who refused to attend military service after being drafted (as reported by the Korea Herald and spotted by GamesRadar+). The length of the sentence is deliberate: 18 months of military service is mandatory for all able-bodied South Korean men under the Military Service Act. The man had refused on the basis of his being "against all war and violence" but his punishment was upheld, at least in part, because he enjoyed PUBG: Battlegrounds.
The man was first indicted in November 2018, which is when he claimed to be a conscientious objector who would not enlist due to his personal stance against violence and war. In South Korea there are very occasional exemptions for cultural icons and elite athletes but otherwise little tolerance towards those who wish to avoid the draft, to the extent that even global megastars like BTS are currently doing their service.
