Pro Gamer Guilty of Draft Evasion for False Claim of "IQ 53"

Submitting False Medical Certificates by Deceiving Psychiatrist
Obtained Diagnosis of 'Intellectual Disability and Personality Disorder'
Sentenced to 1 Year Imprisonment, 2 Years Probation

Won Chang-yeon (32), a former youth national soccer team player and professional gamer until last year, was found guilty of evading military service by submitting a false mental illness diagnosis.

Former professional gamer Won Chang-yeon [Photo by Internet screen capture]

On the 29th, Yonhap News and others reported that Judge Oh Han-seung of the Incheon District Court Criminal Division 15 sentenced Won to one year in prison with a two-year probation and ordered 120 hours of community service for violating the Military Service Act. Won was indicted in August last year for submitting a false diagnosis to the Incheon Military Manpower Administration by deceiving a psychiatrist, attempting to evade or reduce his military service obligation.

He was initially rated as physical grade 2 to 3, eligible for active duty, due to a skin condition during his first military physical examination in 2011 and re-examination in 2016. At that time, there were no reported psychiatric history or intellectual disability symptoms. Later, in 2018, he applied for a change in military disposition and was assigned grade 4, qualifying for social service personnel due to being overweight.

However, Won learned that if he received a grade 4 rating due to mental illness rather than overweight, he would be exempt from military training and reserve forces enrollment even while serving as social service personnel. Consequently, in 2020, he visited a psychiatric clinic and obtained a false diagnosis.

He reportedly told the psychiatrist, "I have difficulty controlling my emotions, feel anxious, and cannot sleep properly," and also gave false answers during psychological evaluations. As a result, he was diagnosed with an overall intelligence quotient of 53 and a social age equivalent to 13 years old. Additionally, he lied to the doctor, saying, "I cannot go to crowded places, do not leave the house, and live alone. I stay at home without doing anything," which led to diagnoses of intellectual disability and personality disorder.

Furthermore, Won was aware that if he was not called up for military training for three years in an area where social service military training was delayed, he would be reclassified as wartime labor service. Therefore, he changed his address to Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, instead of his actual residence. At that time, Bucheon was known to have a longer backlog of military training than Incheon.

Judge Oh pointed out, "The defendant, despite receiving a physical grade 4 rating, used deception such as changing his address, distorting and exaggerating mental illness, and receiving false medical treatment to further reduce his military service obligation. The nature of the crime is by no means light." However, he explained the sentencing by considering that "this is the defendant's first offense with no prior criminal record, and he admitted his wrongdoing and showed remorse."

Meanwhile, Won, a former youth national soccer team player, retired from professional gaming after being indicted last year for violating the Military Service Act while playing the online soccer game 'FIFA Online 4.' He is currently reported to be streaming personal broadcasts related to soccer games on YouTube and Afreeca TV. On the same day, Won posted on his YouTube community, "I am currently organizing an explanation regarding the reported news," and apologized, saying, "I am sorry for causing concern."

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