New taipei: Five Taiwanese entertainers, along with seven other individuals, have been indicted by New Taipei prosecutors for allegedly evading compulsory military service through falsified medical reports. The entertainers, including well-known actors Hsiu Jie-kai, Chen Bolin, and Chang Shu-wei, as well as former "Lollipop F" boyband member Liao Yun-chieh and "Energy" boyband member Hsieh Kunda, are accused of participating in this illegal scheme.

According to Focus Taiwan, this recent indictment follows a previous round of charges in June, where 28 individuals, including actor Darren Wang and alleged ringleader Chen Chih-ming, were charged with similar offenses. The investigation, which began earlier in the year, revealed that the suspects paid Chen Chih-ming to procure falsified high blood pressure reports, thereby exempting them from military conscription.

The indictment comes after New Taipei police questioned the five entertainers in late October. Although they have been released on bail, they now face the possibility of severe penalties. Under Taiwan's Act of Military Service System, all eligible male citizens are required to perform military service. The Punishment Act for Violation of Military Service System stipulates that evading conscription could result in a prison sentence of up to five years.

The case highlights the ongoing efforts by authorities to crack down on military service evasion and uphold the integrity of Taiwan's conscription system.