Steve Yoo 'Planned Military Service Evasion'... 'Public Resentment' Deepens [Han Seung-gon's Incident Notebook]

Yoo Seung-jun Emphasized "Is Changing One's Mind Illegal?" as 'Simple Change of Heart'
Government's Released Military Service Evasion Process Shows Planning and Intent
Military Manpower Administration Chief: "Yoo Seung-jun Is the Only Person Who Received Enlistment Notice and Then Acquired US Citizenship"
"The Only One Who Avoided Military Service by Deceptive Means... Not Appropriate to Talk About Fairness"
Defense Minister: "Lost Nationality for the Purpose of Evading Military Service"

Singer Yoo Seung-jun is appealing his innocence regarding allegations of evading military service through a video on his YouTube channel. Photo by Yoo Seung-jun Official YouTube Channel video capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Singer Steve Yoo (44, Korean name Yoo Seung-jun) has been pleading daily to enter South Korea, but the government has officially emphasized that Yoo's case is indeed a deliberate evasion of military service, making it increasingly difficult for him to enter the country.

In particular, Yoo has argued that "changing one's mind and breaking a promise is illegal," but according to the Military Manpower Administration's explanation, it appears to be a planned and intentional evasion of military service, and a kind of 'public resentment' against Yoo is expected to deepen.

On the 23rd, Mo Jong-hwa, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, appeared at the National Assembly's National Defense Committee plenary session and stated, "Steve Yoo is the only person who obtained U.S. citizenship after earning profits while active in Korea and receiving a military service notice," emphasizing, "Steve Yoo's actions are not simply breaking a promise to fans but a violation of the Military Service Act."

Especially, when Kim Byung-joo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, questioned, "Steve Yoo recently tried to justify not fulfilling his military duty through YouTube, but the Ministry of National Defense and the Military Manpower Administration have never issued a statement on this," Mo explained in detail the suspicions surrounding Yoo's evasion of military service as if determined to clarify.

Commissioner Mo said, "Steve Yoo is distorting facts to create favorable public opinion for himself, deviating from the essence of military duty," adding, "I did not feel the need to respond to each claim, but I will clarify a few points for fact-checking."

Mo emphasized, "There are 3,000 to 4,000 nationality change evaders annually, 95% of whom live abroad and have not submitted applications. Steve Yoo is the only person who earned profits while active domestically, underwent a physical examination in Korea, received a military service notice, and then obtained U.S. citizenship,"

adding, "He is on a different level from the other 3,000 to 4,000 people," and "It is inappropriate for him, who deceptively evaded military service, to talk about fairness."

Minister of National Defense Seo Wook (right) and Commissioner of Military Manpower Administration Mo Jong-hwa are having a conversation at the plenary meeting of the National Defense Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 23rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Furthermore, he said, "Steve Yoo claims to be exempt from military service, but this is misleading the public," explaining, "Exemptions are given to those who receive a grade 5 after a physical examination by the Military Manpower Administration," and showed the overseas travel permit application Yoo submitted when leaving the country.

He continued, "The application stated the purpose of travel as 'performance' and promised the Military Manpower Administration the dates and times of the trip," emphasizing again, "However, since he obtained U.S. citizenship in violation of this, he is clearly a military service evader." Minister of National Defense Seo Wook also said, "(Steve Yoo) is a military service evader who lost nationality for the purpose of avoiding military service."

Previously, in January 2002, Yoo went through the process of acquiring U.S. citizenship at a court in Los Angeles and then visited the Korean Consulate General there to declare his intention to renounce Korean nationality.

At that time, Yoo's legal representative emphasized through media reports that "Yoo Seung-jun's family immigrated to the U.S. when he was in the first year of middle school, all holding permanent residency, and before the 2004 law revision, military service would cause loss of permanent residency, so Yoo made an unwise choice under family pressure," stressing that Yoo had no intention or purpose to evade military service.

However, considering the Military Manpower Administration's disclosed process of Yoo's evasion, including △stating the travel purpose as 'performance' on the overseas travel permit application △obtaining U.S. citizenship at a Los Angeles court △undergoing a physical examination and receiving a military service notice domestically before these actions, it can only be seen as acquiring U.S. citizenship while active domestically and earning profits, not as an unavoidable case.

Singer Yoo Seung-jun is appealing his innocence regarding allegations of evading military service through a video on his YouTube channel. Photo by Yoo Seung-jun Official YouTube Channel video capture

So far, Yoo has continuously expressed his frustration and grievance, claiming it was a simple change of mind rather than deliberate evasion of military service.

On October 13 last year, Yoo posted on his Instagram, "I still feel sorry for disappointing many people by not keeping my promise to serve in the military in 2002," adding, "I made a mistake by not keeping a promise as an entertainer."

He argued that his actions at the time were merely "not keeping a promise."

Yoo said, "When I debuted in Korea, I was already a U.S. permanent resident, and at that time, there was no institutional consideration for permanent residents regarding military service. To avoid losing permanent residency and live with my family, I had no choice but to acquire citizenship," adding, "(However) there was no illegality in this process. Acquiring citizenship as a permanent resident is not illegal. Then, is changing one's mind illegal? Or is failing to keep a promise illegal?" he raised his voice.

He also said, "In the past five years alone, more than 20,000 people have acquired foreign nationality and had their military obligations canceled," adding, "But I am the first and last person in Korean history to be banned from entering the country for being considered to have acquired citizenship to evade military service."

Meanwhile, Steve Yoo was active as a singer in Korea during the 1990s and repeatedly expressed his intention to enlist through broadcasts and media. Then, in January 2002, he left for the U.S., renounced Korean nationality, and acquired U.S. citizenship, thus exempting himself from military service.

The Ministry of Justice imposed an entry ban on Steve Yoo in February of that year at the request of the Military Manpower Administration. Despite multiple attempts to apply for an overseas Korean visa, which were rejected, he won a final lawsuit against the government in March to cancel the visa refusal. However, after the visa was again denied, he recently filed another lawsuit.