Rapper MC Mong, who has been indicted on suspicion of having healthy teeth removed in 2006 to avoid the draft, has denied the accusations. "I did not have my teeth pulled on purpose to avoid the draft", said MC Mong (31), whose real name is Shin Dong-hyun, at his first trial hearing on Thursday.

"I have 11 teeth missing and two teeth are broken right now, and my mother is also suffering from dental problems and had 10 of her teeth removed", he added. "I had my teeth pulled at the recommendation of my dentist".

He admitted willfully postponing the draft by pretending to be studying for a civil service exam or claiming to be headed overseas. "I knew that I was delaying the draft, but I did not know it was illegal and it was done at the behest of my manager".

He added he was living alone when his mother received his draft notification letter, which she delivered to his manager. He then merely obeyed the instructions of the management agency and later chided himself for being oblivious to the fact that postponing the draft by making up excuses is illegal. "If I had known that the actions I took to postpone the draft were illegal, I wouldn't have committed them", he said.

He added he would accept any punishment if his behavior created problems. If he is found guilty before 2014, MC Mong must undergo another physical exam for the military. He passed with flying colors during his first physical checkup in 1998.

source: http://www.chosun.com/
credits: www.hancinema.net