One out of five male lawmakers in the 19th National Assembly was exempted from military service mostly due to imprisonment or illness, a government survey showed.

The Military Manpower Administration said of the total 253 lawmakers, 47, or 18.6 percent, were exempted from conscription.

The exemption rate is 0.4 percentage point higher than that among members of the 18th National Assembly. However, the figure is 10.7 percentage points lower than the national average for men born between 1940 and 1970.

With the exception of Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the Saenuri Party, all of the lawmakers exempt from National Service due to prison terms are of the Democratic United Party.

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)





Receiving a prison term was the most common cause of exemption, followed by illness.

Those exempted because of prison sentences numbered 19, while 17 were exempted due to various illnesses.

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)





With the exception of Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the Saenuri Party, all of the lawmakers exempt from National Service due to prison terms are of the Democratic United Party.

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)