South Korea’s Supreme Court has ruled in favor of conscientious objection to military service.<br />In Thursday’s final ruling,... the top court overturned a previous decision to punish a Jehovah's Witness for dodging mandatory military service on religious grounds.<br />The Jehovah's Witness was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2013.<br />Under the current law,... all able-bodied South Korean men must serve for around two years.<br />Only diseases or natural disasters have been regarded as valid reasons for exemption,.... but the top court now also recognizes religious beliefs to be excusable.<br />The latest decision goes against previous top court decisions against conscientious objectors in 1969 and 2004.<br />In June,... the Constitutional Court ruled that the government must provide alternative services for conscientious objectors. <br />
