Actors caught in draft-dodging probe
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Song Seung-heon returning home for investigation; 2 other actors admit violating law
Following an admission that he had evaded military service, popular actor Song Seung-heon was scheduled to return to Seoul yesterday from Sydney, Australia to face the music. Song said he will immediately turn himself in for military duty.
Song was one of three actors who admitted dodging the draft as a result of an extensive government probe that began in July, looking into the records of 19,000 men who failed to qualify for military service.
The other two actors, well known Han Jae-suk and Jang Hyuk, voluntarily appeared at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency office on Jongno, central Seoul, Sunday, for further investigation. They admitted violating the law.
The investigation is expected to advance to a new stage now, as the two actors have identified a broker who helped them fail their physical exams.
Han and Jang each admitted paying the broker between 20 million and 30 million won.
Police cannot prosecute the two actors because the statute of limitations for their draft evasion has expired, so the two were turned over to the Military Manpower Administration and are expected to be inducted after new physical exams.
But an employee at a local hospital said that actor Han was been seen visiting the hospital, reportedly for kidney problems, so the outlook for his physical exam may be in question.
Song, meanwhile, had admitted his crime last Thursday in a letter he sent to Yonhap News from Sydney, where he was filming a music video for the MBC TV drama, "A Sad Love Song".
In the letter, he apologized for his actions and said that he deeply regretted them. "Joining the army meant putting a stop to my acting career for more than two years. I was afraid this would permanently end my career. I was foolish. I am so sorry to disappoint my fans and all those people who cared about me", he said.
With a production cost of more than 76 billion won, and top stars Kim Hee-sun, Gwon Sang-wu and Song playing the lead characters, the drama "A Sad Love Song" was expected to be popular overseas as well as domestically. The series had been slated to begin in January, but filming has now stopped because of the revelations about Song's draft dodging.
The admissions have generated widespread discussion, especially on Internet chat sites. On the site paran.com, many people said that due to the importance of the drama, Song should be allowed to delay his military duties until filming is finished. Others, however, heatedly disagreed. "Why should Song be forgiven just because he's a famous actor? He should discharge his duties right away", one discussant said.
At first, actors Han and Jang denied that the broker was related to the entertainment companies they work with, but they later admitted being introduced to the broker by company officials. Both said that they knew nothing of other celebrities or entertainment company officials being related to the matter.
An entertainment company staff member said the actors would be unlikely to reveal more than they had to.
"These people paid money and took the risk of getting caught because they cared so much for their careers", he said. "When they come back after serving the army, they are going to need 'big' people to pull them into the world of entertainment again. They can't say much more because they can't afford to get on the bad side of these people".
It's understood that there are a number of "brokers" who help people evade military service, he said. "Once an actor makes his mind up, it's quite easy to contact these brokers, whether personally or through entertainment officials".
The broker reportedly had invented a new strategy to disqualify men during their physical examinations by adding blood to their urine. Military Manpower Administration officials have said in the past that it is getting harder to catch these acts.
Internet user "askhim24" said on the Paran Website, "More ways of dodging military duties will be invented. That's why I think it would be best to find a way for celebrities to feel less burdened about leaving their careers".
"But men who dodged their duties should still be punished heavily in order to set an example for future soldiers", he added.
Police, meanwhile, are concentrating on arresting the broker whom the two actors identified. The names of additional draft dodgers may be revealed after police get ahold of the broker and his list of clients, a police officer said.
By Shin Hae-in
Following an admission that he had evaded military service, popular actor Song Seung-heon was scheduled to return to Seoul yesterday from Sydney, Australia to face the music. Song said he will immediately turn himself in for military duty.
Song was one of three actors who admitted dodging the draft as a result of an extensive government probe that began in July, looking into the records of 19,000 men who failed to qualify for military service.
The other two actors, well known Han Jae-suk and Jang Hyuk, voluntarily appeared at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency office on Jongno, central Seoul, Sunday, for further investigation. They admitted violating the law.
The investigation is expected to advance to a new stage now, as the two actors have identified a broker who helped them fail their physical exams.
Han and Jang each admitted paying the broker between 20 million and 30 million won.
Police cannot prosecute the two actors because the statute of limitations for their draft evasion has expired, so the two were turned over to the Military Manpower Administration and are expected to be inducted after new physical exams.
But an employee at a local hospital said that actor Han was been seen visiting the hospital, reportedly for kidney problems, so the outlook for his physical exam may be in question.
Song, meanwhile, had admitted his crime last Thursday in a letter he sent to Yonhap News from Sydney, where he was filming a music video for the MBC TV drama, "A Sad Love Song".
In the letter, he apologized for his actions and said that he deeply regretted them. "Joining the army meant putting a stop to my acting career for more than two years. I was afraid this would permanently end my career. I was foolish. I am so sorry to disappoint my fans and all those people who cared about me", he said.
With a production cost of more than 76 billion won, and top stars Kim Hee-sun, Gwon Sang-wu and Song playing the lead characters, the drama "A Sad Love Song" was expected to be popular overseas as well as domestically. The series had been slated to begin in January, but filming has now stopped because of the revelations about Song's draft dodging.
The admissions have generated widespread discussion, especially on Internet chat sites. On the site paran.com, many people said that due to the importance of the drama, Song should be allowed to delay his military duties until filming is finished. Others, however, heatedly disagreed. "Why should Song be forgiven just because he's a famous actor? He should discharge his duties right away", one discussant said.
At first, actors Han and Jang denied that the broker was related to the entertainment companies they work with, but they later admitted being introduced to the broker by company officials. Both said that they knew nothing of other celebrities or entertainment company officials being related to the matter.
An entertainment company staff member said the actors would be unlikely to reveal more than they had to.
"These people paid money and took the risk of getting caught because they cared so much for their careers", he said. "When they come back after serving the army, they are going to need 'big' people to pull them into the world of entertainment again. They can't say much more because they can't afford to get on the bad side of these people".
It's understood that there are a number of "brokers" who help people evade military service, he said. "Once an actor makes his mind up, it's quite easy to contact these brokers, whether personally or through entertainment officials".
The broker reportedly had invented a new strategy to disqualify men during their physical examinations by adding blood to their urine. Military Manpower Administration officials have said in the past that it is getting harder to catch these acts.
Internet user "askhim24" said on the Paran Website, "More ways of dodging military duties will be invented. That's why I think it would be best to find a way for celebrities to feel less burdened about leaving their careers".
"But men who dodged their duties should still be punished heavily in order to set an example for future soldiers", he added.
Police, meanwhile, are concentrating on arresting the broker whom the two actors identified. The names of additional draft dodgers may be revealed after police get ahold of the broker and his list of clients, a police officer said.
By Shin Hae-in
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