Rockin' This Pancake!
Sorry, accidentally erased your message.
Anyways, refusal to do your 2 year (actually 18 months as you get a total of 3 months a year off (The 3 month period is again divided into periods of…2 weeks I believe) and 2 years so…) lands you a prison sentence of equal length, 18 months.
This is horrible because during a prison sentence will pretty much destroy any chances you had of getting a job and even if some place were to consider accepting you as an employee, Korean law dictates that companies must give people who have served their service priority over those who haven’t when they are of equal qualification. (Think something along the lines of affirmative action, except only applicable between males and the dividing factor isn’t race, but military service).
There are other services besides the military which are ordered to people who are not fit to serve in the military (like people who score bad on the psychological tests and so the government would rather they not get their hands on guns, health problems, etc, etc) such as subway duty, working at a district office and what not. Many children/members of a family running a conglomerate have been accused of buying their way into doing the alternative services instead of serving their military service when they did not qualify for the alternative services.
Anyways, the hierarchy of hiring someone of equal qualification is military service > alternative service > exemption (severe health problems such as not being able to walk, low functionality autism, etc etc) > prison sentence.
Basically, you’re punished, literally, and then you’re fucked economically.
That moment that gives you perspective on how good your life is.
