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Military administration to strengthen screening
By Lee Hyo-sik
Singer and TV-show host MC Mong, 31, Monday denied allegations that he had healthy teeth extracted in order to dodge mandatory military service.
His denial came after the police’s decision to book him without physical detention based on that charge.
Posting a letter on his homepage, he said he was exempted from military service due to an abnormal dental structure, claiming he had never intentionally had healthy teeth removed.
``I have never, ever, had a normal tooth pulled to avoid the military. I suffered excruciating pain because of unhealthy teeth. I had to get rid of them,’’ he said.
The singer, whose real name is Shin Dong-hyun, said he has occasionally made minor mistakes in front of his fans as an entertainer.
``But I have not lived an immoral life. I have never abandoned my principles.’’
He also said he was born with bad teeth, adding he was not able to receive proper treatment when he was young because of his family’s financial problems.
``I even took 10 painkillers at one time to relieve my toothache. When I finally went to a dentist, he was surprised at how bad my teeth were,’’ the singer said.
MC Mong then said he made no dubious deals with the dentist to avoid going to the military, stressing he received the required treatments.
``I requested a physical reexamination and was exempted from the military service for a rightful reason,” he said. “I am so heartbroken after reading viewers’ comments posted on bulletin boards of my programs. I will do everything necessary to regain my good reputation for myself, my parents and those who truly believe in me.’’
MC Mong’s statement came two days after the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said the popular entertainer was found healthy enough for active-duty as a soldier at his first physical checkup in August 1998. But in 2008, he had 12 teeth extracted and was able to get exempted from military duty.
The police said the singer is suspected of having extracted at least four of them to weaken his dental function and ultimately for exemption from military service.
They also said he had postponed entering the military service seven times from 1999 to 2006 by providing various illegitimate excuses.
MC Mong is currently appearing in ``1 Night 2 Days’’ on KBS and ``Haha Mong Show’’ on SBS. Following his draft dodging allegation, many viewers requested the broadcasters expel him from the programs.
KBS largely edited out scenes in which MC Mong appeared on Sunday evening. But SBS ran the Haha Mong Show as scheduled on Sunday morning, inviting harsh criticism from viewers.
Its homepage was inundated with comments slamming the broadcaster for the airing of the show.
Meanwhile, Rep. Kim Hak-song of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) said Monday that the Military Manpower Administration has strengthened its screening of those who have been exempted from active military duty or assigned to an alternative service program, because of bad teeth.
``The administration sent an official notice to its district offices across the country on Feb. 17, ordering them to tighten the physical checkup on draftees with bad teeth not to illegitimately exempt them from military service,’’ Kim said.
The Feb. 17 date marks the day right after the police were tipped off on MC Mong’s possible draft dodging and began investigating the allegation.
Source : koreatimes
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