"If You Love Korea, Will You Be Misunderstood Again?"... Yoo Seung-jun's Emotional Confession on 'Visa Refusal'

"Missing and Loving Korea" - Emotional Post Shared
Consulate States "Yoo Seung-jun's Actions Harm South Korea's Interests"

Singer Yoo Seung-jun (Steve Seung-jun Yoo, 48) recently expressed his longing for Korea after once again being denied a visa issuance.

Singer Yoo Seung-jun (Steven Seung-jun Yoo). [Image source=Captured from Yoo Seung-jun's YouTube]

On the 1st, Yoo Seung-jun posted a family photo on his Instagram with the caption, "Why didn't I know back then?" and "I'm sorry. I was too lacking." He continued, "Even after all these many years have passed, seeing that I cannot forget you all, it seems the love I received from you is much greater than the love I had for you."

Yoo Seung-jun said, "Someone asked me, 'Why can't you forget Korea so much?'" and asked back, "If I say it's because I miss and love it, will I be misunderstood again?"

He then said, "I'm really sorry for hurting your hearts," and added, "Because I was lacking, I let so much time slip away." He continued, "For some reason, today tears are falling a lot in a foolish way," and said, "These tears are not from pain but from gratitude. Thank you, I love you."

Previously, Yoo Seung-jun debuted in April 1997, and in 2002, when he received a notice for public service duty, he suddenly left the country for a U.S. performance as an exception. After acquiring U.S. citizenship, he gave up his Korean nationality and was exempted from military service. This move sparked national outrage at the time. The Ministry of Justice restricted his entry, and since then, he has been unable to enter Korea for 22 years.

At age 38 in 2015, he first applied for an Overseas Korean visa (F-4) to enter Korea, but the Los Angeles (LA) Consulate General rejected it, citing the Ministry of Justice's refusal to allow his entry. Yoo Seung-jun filed his first lawsuit and ultimately won at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled, "The LA Consulate General's refusal to issue a visa solely because the Ministry of Justice previously banned his entry without exercising discretion was improper."

Afterward, Yoo Seung-jun applied for a visa again. However, the LA Consulate General once more denied issuance. Upon exercising discretion and reviewing the case, they cited the 2017 amended Overseas Korean Act, stating that because Yoo Seung-jun's evasion of military service could harm national interests, a visa could not be issued even though he was past the enlistment age.

In 2020, Yoo Seung-jun filed a second lawsuit. The Supreme Court again ruled in his favor, explaining, "Yoo Seung-jun should be subject to the Overseas Korean Act prior to the 2017 amendment, and the LA Consulate General's refusal to issue a visa based on the amended law was unlawful."

Subsequently, Yoo Seung-jun applied for a third visa issuance last February, but the LA Consulate General again rejected it. The LA Consulate General judged, "Since the second visa denial on July 2, 2020, Yoo Seung-jun's actions fall under cases that may harm the interests of the Republic of Korea, including national security, order maintenance, public welfare, and diplomatic relations." The Ministry of Justice also prohibited Yoo Seung-jun's entry. Yoo's legal representative, attorney Ryu Jeong-seon, pointed out, "The administrative agency's continued illegal actions ignoring the court's rulings not only violate Yoo Seung-jun's human rights but may also seriously undermine the foundation of the rule of law."