Taiwanese actor Wang Daru (33), who gained the nickname "Taiwan First Love" from the film "My Girlhood," has sparked controversy over allegations of avoiding military service, while nine Taiwanese entertainers were arrested en masse by prosecutors for allegedly evading military service using false medical certificates.
According to Taiwanese media, including Liberty Times and China Times, on the 15th (local time), the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office and police expanded their investigation related to the Wang Daru case, which was initially arrested in February for military service avoidance, and detained additional individuals.
The police and prosecutors confirmed that nine Taiwanese entertainers, including Chen Lingzhu, William, Chen Datian, Dagen, Li Chuan, Ah Hu, Huang Bosi, Chen Xinwei, and Xiao Xiong, who are in their 20s and 30s, received fraudulent medical certificates to apply for military exemption. Among them, William, Li Chuan, and Xiao Xiong were part of an idol group active in the 2010s, along with singers, actors, models, and theater actors.
According to the current police and prosecutor investigation, six of them were exempted from military service due to blood pressure abnormalities, and two were exempted due to high blood pressure. The remaining person is still under investigation. It was revealed that they paid brokers between 100,000 Taiwan dollars (approximately 460,000 won) and 500,000 Taiwan dollars (approximately 2.3 million won) to obtain the false medical certificates.
The police and prosecutors referred them to the New Taipei District Court on charges of interfering with military service and document forgery. They were released after each posting bail between 150,000 and 300,000 Taiwan dollars (approximately 6.94 million to 13.89 million won).
Previously, Wang Daru received a false medical certificate stating he had heart disease in exchange for 3.6 million Taiwan dollars (approximately 160 million won). He is also under investigation by prosecutors for allegedly directing injuries to an Uber taxi driver and illegally using personal information. After paying bail, Wang Daru enlisted in the military last month and is currently serving alternative service at the Taipei City Government.
In Taiwan, men are required to fulfill military service obligations between the ages of 18 and 36. The service period is one year. While enrollment can be postponed if one is enrolled in university or graduate school, if not graduated by the age of 33, further deferment of conscription is no longer possible.
Taiwan has implemented conscription since 1951 after the Kuomintang government was expelled from the mainland by the Communist Party in 1949. Initially, the mandatory service period was 2 to 3 years, which was reduced to 4 months during former President Ma Ying-jeou's administration in 2014, but has been extended back to one year since last year due to increased military threats from China.