South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in has been exempted from mandatory military enlistment. He was deemed unfit for service as an active duty soldier due to his bone tumour and other injuries. The actor had undergone five medical examinations from December 2015.
Website Soompi notes that on May 22, the 'Chicago Typewriter' actor underwent his fifth medical examination for mandatory military service; results of which were declared today. In the final verdict, Yoo Ah-in was declared unfit for military duty, the main reason being his bone cancer.
On June 27, Yoo Ah-in's agency, United Artist Agency (UAA), in their official statement said, "Due to pre-existing medical conditions, actor Yoo Ah-in has been deemed unfit for military service by the Military Manpower Administration and received a final verdict that exempts him from mandatory military service."
The actor, notes Soompi, had also injured his right shoulder while filming the movie 'Tough as Iron' in 2013. This injury worsened after he filmed 'Veteran' next year. "The final scene was one in which Yoo Ah-in had to engage in hand-to-hand combat with Hwang Jung-min. I was very grateful to Yoo Ah-in because, although his hands were shaking the whole time [because of his shoulder injury], he showed fighting spirit until the very end and finished filming without a stand-in," the director of 'Veteran' had said.
The actor had also reportedly fractured his collarbone severely. He had been taking painkillers and the issue came to light again recently while undergoing the medical tests. The actor was very interested in serving the military as an active duty soldier. However, the damages were too much, as can be seen from his X-Ray plates, provided by Soompi.
As for his bone tumour, Yoo Ah-in's agency had earlier revealed that it is benign. Following the verdict on June 27, UAA has stated, "As an agency, we will actively do our best to help our actor receive medical treatment and carefully monitor and maintain his health."
Yoo Ah-in's most recent drama was tvN's 'Chicago Typewriter,' which ended on June 3, this year. He is best known for leading roles in films, 'Punch' (2011), 'Secret Love Affair' (2014) and 'Veteran' (2015).
