Singer Steve Yoo, also known as Yoo Seung-jun, is awaiting the verdict in his third lawsuit concerning the issuance of a visa to enter South Korea. The decision will be announced on the 28th. The Seoul Administrative Court’s 5th Division will deliver the first-instance ruling on Yoo’s lawsuit against the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles (LA), which refused to issue him a visa.
This marks Yoo’s third lawsuit against the LA Consulate General following the refusal to grant him a visa. Additionally, the court will rule on the lawsuit Yoo filed to confirm the non-existence of the Ministry of Justice’s 2002 entry ban decision.
Yoo gained fame in South Korea after debuting in 1997 with hit songs like “Scissors,” “Na Na Na,” and “Passion.” However, after departing for a performance while facing enlistment as a public service worker, he acquired U.S. citizenship in 2002, which led to a controversy over military service evasion, resulting in a restriction on his entry to South Korea.
In 2015, Yoo applied for an F-4 visa as an overseas Korean at the LA Consulate General, but was denied, prompting him to file his first lawsuit seeking to overturn the decision. Although he lost in the first and second instances, he ultimately won at the Supreme Court. Despite this ruling, the LA Consulate General once again denied the visa, citing reasons such as the potential harm to national interests due to military duty evasion and the possible spread of societal conflict.
Yoo filed his second lawsuit in 2020 and the Supreme Court ruled in his favor in November 2023. However, referencing the Ministry of Justice’s 2002 decision, the LA Consulate General denied the visa once more in June last year, leading Yoo to file a third lawsuit in September of the same year.
Yoo’s legal representative, lawyer Ryu Jung-sun, criticized the decision of the LA Consulate General by releasing a statement asserting that the refusal not only violates human rights but also undermines the rule of law. Ryu argued that the administration should respect the court’s cancellation ruling if an administrative action is deemed illegal, suggesting that public sentiment should not dictate legal actions.
Ryu further stated that the third refusal transcends boundaries as the administrative authority disregarded court rulings twice. Recently, Yoo expressed his frustrations about the ongoing controversy surrounding him in a YouTube video, poignantly questioning the judgments made against him.