Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho pointed out during a monthly meeting on the 22nd that abandoning one’s nationality to avoid military duty and then attempting to return for personal gain is an “anti-social order and a traitorous act.” This statement is being interpreted as a direct reference to Yoo Seung-jun (Steve Yoo), who has been consistently expressing his desire to return to Korea through his YouTube channel.
Regarding this, Cha Yong-ho, head of the Immigration and Foreigner Policy Headquarters, announced a plan to establish legal grounds under the Immigration Act to ban the entry of those who caused social controversy by evading military service. He stated that they will specify the list of persons banned from entry in the enforcement rules of the Immigration Act to include military service evaders.
Yoo Seung-jun gained massive popularity in the 1990s music scene with numerous hit songs such as “Nanana,” “Passion,” and “Scissors.” However, he became embroiled in a controversy over evading military duty after giving up his Korean nationality to acquire US citizenship in 2002, leading to an entry ban into South Korea based on Article 11 of the Immigration Act.
In 2015, Yoo Seung-jun applied for a visa at the LA Consulate as an overseas Korean, but the request was denied. Although he won a final ruling from the Supreme Court through two lawsuits, the LA Consulate continued to refuse his visa issuance. Consequently, Yoo Seung-jun filed a third lawsuit last September and is currently undergoing the appeal process.
Meanwhile, he has been directly and indirectly expressing his longing to enter Korea while communicating with fans on his YouTube channel. When responding to a comment stating that things might not have turned out this way if he had served in the military or been honest about his citizenship from the start, he was speechless and simply replied, “Thank you.” To fans who once criticized him but now offer support, he tearfully said, “You don’t need to be sorry to me. Rather, I am the one who is sorry. I apologize once again for leaving you with such memories. If I am given a chance, I want to repay you with a positive image and good memories.”
