Why South Korea’s mandatory military service still haunts this former pop star

Steve Yoo (Yoo Seung-jun) / Xportsnews

Singer Steve Yoo (Yoo Seung-jun) continues his years-long legal battle to enter South Korea, but recent developments suggest his efforts remain far from resolution.

On Thursday, the Seoul Administrative Court held the second hearing of two ongoing cases filed by Yoo: one challenging the Los Angeles Consulate General’s refusal to issue him a visa, and another seeking confirmation that there is no legal basis for the justice minister’s ban on his entry into Korea.

Yoo’s legal team argued that a previous Supreme Court ruling should have lifted the entry ban and deemed the visa refusal unlawful. “Despite the Supreme Court judgment, the LA Consulate insists that it cannot issue a visa because the justice minister’s entry ban still stands,” the team said in court.

The attorneys also referenced similar cases, including that of footballer Suk Hyun-jun, to argue that there is no legal reason to deny Yoo a visa. They claimed the decision violates the principle of proportionality and equality, and insisted that forced legal compliance may be necessary to ensure justice.

In response, the Ministry of Justice reiterated that the entry ban is within the discretionary power of the minister. “Yoo Seung-jun has continuously stirred controversy and public disputes. If allowed into the country, his presence could cause social unrest,” the ministry said, justifying the decision to continue blocking his return.

Yoo debuted in 1997 and rose to stardom in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, his popularity plummeted in 2002 when he left Korea shortly before his mandatory military service and obtained U.S. citizenship, sparking accusations of draft dodging. The Ministry of Justice subsequently imposed an entry ban on him who renounced his Korean nationality.

In 2015, Yoo applied for a visa as an overseas Korean through the LA Consulate, but the request was denied. Although he won two separate lawsuits in Korean courts, the LA Consulate denied his visa again last year, prompting a third legal challenge.

Yoo’s prolonged struggle to return to Korea continues to generate public interest. For the past 23 years, the Justice Ministry has maintained a consistent stance in barring his entry. Whether he will ultimately be allowed to return remains to be seen.

This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.