South Korea's military recruitment agency has accused eight men of having dodged or attempted to evade military service by feigning hearing impairment, its investigators said Tuesday.

The Military Manpower Administration said that six of the men falsely registered as hearing-impaired after intentionally exposing themselves to the high-pitched sounds of bicycle and air horns to make themselves temporarily deaf. 


(Yonhap)
Two others attempted to evade conscription using the same method, but failed.

Among the eight are a former national cyclist and an Internet game broadcasting jockey whose names were not disclosed to the media.

The administration also accused three brokers of complicity.

They are purported to have received between 10 million won($8,444) and 50 million won to help each alleged dodger evade conscription by causing temporary hearing loss.

The MMA plans to strengthen medical checkup procedures to prevent similar draft-dodging cases. It will also look into some 1,500 men who have been given military duty exemptions due to hearing disabilities.

All able-bodied Korean men are obliged to serve in the Army for 21 months, the Navy for 23 months or the Air Force for 24 months. (Yonhap)