Amidst the recent release of military physical examination statistics for this year, it has come to light that both an individual weighing 208 kg (457.8 lbs) and another weighing 36.5 kg (80.3 lbs) have undergone army evaluations and were conscripted.

On August 6, an online community post titled 'Men's Physical Examination Statistics for the Current Year' was created. The article encompasses a table detailing the latest developments in this year's military physical examination statistics.

According to the data, as of August 6, 2023, the cumulative count of military physical examinations reached 144,234. What's particularly intriguing on the chart is the Body Mass Index (BMI) figures.

Among those who were given a health evaluation for the mandatory service, a man's BMI value stood out prominently. The record for the lowest BMI belonged to an individual with a height of 172.6 cm and a weight of 36.5 kg, yielding a figure of 12.2. Conversely, the highest BMI was registered by a man measuring 171.6 cm in height and weighing 208.5 kg, resulting in a BMI of 70.8.

As per the evaluation regulations, including the military service criteria and physical examination revisions introduced in 2021, these two individuals fall under the 4th-grade supplementary service. The 4th grade criteria encompass instances where the BMI index falls below 16 or surpasses 35.

Remarkably, the BMI statistics indicate that even individuals severely underweight or significantly overweight remain obligated to perform military service without exemption.

The table data suggests that due to more stringent standards, there were no instances, as of August this year, where individuals were granted exemption based solely on their BMI index.

Responding to this revelation, some netizens expressed disbelief: "At over 200 kg with that height, no exemption?" "Even daily tasks would be hard at that weight; can they even attend the training center?" "This is so harsh," "I didn't know that weight would be possible," "It's so shocking that people with those weights now go to the military," and "Shouldn't they go to the hospital first?".

On the contrary, there were individuals who noted, "It's because there were people who abused this system to avoid enlistment," "I guess they can't help it because the number of young men is decreasing," and "They need to be more strict so people don't lose weight on purpose."

Meanwhile, the revised military service examination regulations, encompassing physical assessments, were integrated into the military service examination process that became effective on February 17, 2021.

The Ministry of National Defense clarified, "To address the decrease in active duty enlistments experienced in 2015, we have reinstated the criteria for active duty determination, such as Body Mass Index (BMI), flat feet, and ametropia, to their pre-2014 levels. This will expand the pool of eligible active duty soldiers."