SEOUL — A South Korean man has been sentenced to a suspended prison term for deliberately gaining more than 20 mkilograms (44 pounds) to evade a tougher role in the East Asian country's military conscription system, a court in the capital Seoul said on Tuesday.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men must serve in the military for 18 to 21 months, but individuals with health issues can instead carry out their duties at nonmilitary facilities such as welfare centers and community service centers. If their problems are serious, they are exempted from their military duties.