Wang Ta Lu, 33, Arrested For Evading Military Service, Called A “Very Good Actor” For Faking Heart Condition

Taiwanese actor Wang Ta Lu has made the headlines for allegedly trying to evade his military service.

Yesterday (Feb 18), it was reported that the 33-year-old star, alongside 10 other men were arrested for attempting to evade their compulsory military conscription.

Officers from the criminal bureau conducted a search lasting over an hour at Ta Lu’s Da’an District home, and he was later brought to the station for questioning.

He is also under investigation for forging a medical document.

According to reports, Ta Lu sought the help of an organisation, paying them TW$1mil (S$41K) to fake a heart condition and deceive a doctor into issuing him a medical certificate.

Ta Lu is currently out on a TW$150K (S$6K) bail.

In Taiwan, all males without valid exemptions are required to serve in the military by the time they turn 36.

The mandatory enlistment period in Taiwan is one year but due to a revised law, males born between the years of 1994 to 2004 would only have to serve for four months.

According to the cardiology department director at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, it is “extremely tough” to fool a medical examiner into thinking one has heart issues.

The patient has to display irregularities in their heartbeat to be diagnosed with a heart problem, and as such, those attempting to evade the army rarely use this condition as an excuse.

The director said that Ta Lu is “highly skilled, and a very good actor” for successfully deceiving a doctor from the Tri-Service General Hospital.

According to reports, Ta Lu’s father had enrolled him in a military school in New York in 2015 because he did not like studying and was falling behind in his grades,

He had a really tough time there and would cry from exhaustion.

Ta Lu later returned to Taiwan, made his showbiz debut at 17 and took a break from his studies.

At 24, he secretly enrolled into a media course at Toko University, but the news soon became public.

During that time, Ta Lu’s classmates said they never saw him in classes. It brought about suspicions that he might have enrolled into school as an excuse to delay his enlistment.

His agency addressed the issue, saying: “Studying and serving the military is a process all men have to go through. Acting is a job he loves, and the company has been trying to help adjust his schedules so he successfully completes everything. Moreover, he attended a military school in the past, so there’s really no reason for him to [evade his enlistment].”

Ta Lu also reportedly declared: “I’m so young, there’s no need to evade my military duties. When the time comes, I’ll serve!”

Um, does he not feel young anymore?

The deputy director of the Taipei Department of Military Compulsory service has stated that Ta Lu has reached the maximum age for military deferment due to studies, and will have to enlist by March this year.

Photos: Chinapress, 8world, taluwang/ Instagram