"Is It Just Pretending?" Epilepsy Patients Hurt by Military Service Corruption Issue

An Estimated 370,000 Epilepsy Patients in Korea
Rehabilitation and Independence Support Bill Pending in the National Assembly

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Recently, epilepsy has gained notoriety as incidents involving celebrities and athletes attempting to evade military service through false epilepsy diagnoses have come to light. Epilepsy patients already face severe social prejudice and discrimination due to symptoms such as seizures, and on top of that, they have been wrongfully accused of using the condition as an excuse for military service fraud. What kind of disease is epilepsy?

The old term for epilepsy was "ganjil." In 2014, the legal terminology was revised to "epilepsy" to improve social awareness. Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by spontaneous, repeated seizures occurring more than twice, caused by excessive electrical discharges from some brain nerve cells over a short period. Even without bodily abnormalities that can cause seizures, such as electrolyte imbalance, uremia, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, or severe sleep deprivation, chronic seizures occur.

Because of the characteristic symptoms like seizures, epilepsy may seem unfamiliar and frightening, but it is a common disease with more than 400 patients receiving treatment daily. When abnormalities occur in brain nerve cells, epilepsy can develop in anyone regardless of age or gender. According to statistics from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of epilepsy patients nationwide reached 148,293 last year.

[Image source=Pixabay]

Epilepsy is also an ancient disease, with records dating back to 1500?2000 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia’s Akkadian and Babylonian kingdoms, as well as Egypt. Historical figures such as Napoleon of France, philosophers Socrates and Pythagoras, and musician Tchaikovsky are known to have had epilepsy. Considering their achievements, it is clear that having epilepsy does not imply reduced intellectual ability or difficulties in social life, dispelling common prejudices.

Daily life is also possible. About 60?70% of epilepsy patients can control their seizure symptoms through anticonvulsant medication. Experts agree that with proper diagnosis and treatment, epilepsy is easier to manage than diabetes or hypertension. Some patients even experience symptom improvement to the extent that complete recovery is expected.

However, the reality faced by epilepsy patients is harsh. Many experience difficulties in daily life and economic activities due to sudden seizure episodes such as collapsing to the floor. Social prejudice and stigma are severe, leading to discrimination in social life. According to the paper "Awareness and Prejudice against Epilepsy in Korea" (Lee Sang-am/2021), a survey of 400 epilepsy patients found that 44% of respondents had experienced various forms of discrimination in areas such as employment, romantic relationships, marriage, and relationships with friends or close relatives.

Moreover, military service fraud cases have intensified prejudice against epilepsy patients. Recently, several celebrities and athletes pretended to be epilepsy patients, obtained false medical certificates, and submitted them to the Military Manpower Administration to receive military service exemptions or lower grades. Investigations revealed that they exploited the characteristic of epilepsy whereby a diagnosis can be made if clinical symptoms such as seizures persist, even if EEG tests show no abnormalities. Because of these fake patients feigning epilepsy to evade military service, genuine epilepsy patients have suffered.

There is also a lack of a systematic management system for epilepsy patients. Although it is estimated that about 370,000 epilepsy patients exist in Korea, only about 20,000 patients are managed under the Disabled Welfare Act. In response, the "Act on the Management of Epilepsy and Support for Epilepsy Patients," focusing on rehabilitation and independence support for epilepsy patients, was proposed in 2020 but has yet to pass through the National Assembly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.