As heated debates continue over the legitimacy of conscientious objection to mandatory military service, the Supreme Court is set to make a ruling in the case of one such objector on Thursday.

The defendant, known by the surname of Choi, was convicted by two lower courts for illegally refusing to perform compulsory military service and subsequently sentenced to a one and-a-half year prison term.

The Supreme Court& 039 s 13 justices have been deliberating whether conscientious objection on the grounds of religious beliefs or freedom of conscience can be a justifiable reason to refuse military duty.

Supporters of the conscientious objectors have pointed out that Article 19 of the South Korean Constitution guarantees all citizens the right to enjoy freedom of conscience.

In May, a Seoul district court found three Jehovah& 039 s Witnesses not guilty of charges that they violated the military service law when they refused conscription on religious grounds.

The ruling caught the nation by surprise, as national defense is widely considered South Korea& 039 s No. 1 state objective.

Current law dictates that all able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the military for two years when they reach the age of 20. Violators may be punished with prison terms of up to three years.