Singer Kim Woo Joo charged for pretending to have a mental illness to evade military service

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According to the prosecutors on the 20th, Kim Woo Joo was indicted for getting himself excused from military service by pretending to have a mental illness. The prosecution says they have discovered that Kim Woo Joo visited the psychiatric clinic at Seoul National Hospital from March 2012 to May 2014 for a total of 42 times. While talking to the doctor to receive his diagnosis, he is reported to have lied and acted as if he had symptoms of a mental illness.

He described his supposed symptoms to the hospital, saying, "I started seeing ghosts 8 years ago," "I fainted from the shock of [seeing] ghosts, and had to be taken to the emergency room two times as a result," and "I am so anxious that I hardly go out." He was also hospitalized at the Seoul National Hospital for two weeks last July as well. Due to his frequent visits to the hospital, the hospital eventually issued a medical certificate, giving the diagnosis that he suffers from a 'mental illness due to unknown causes' last September.

He submitted this diagnosis to the Military Manpower Administration, and received a notice exempting him from active duty in October. However, the Military Manpower Administration was later informed by a source that Kim Woo Joo had faked his illness, leading to prosecutors to investigate and press charges.�