[Sports Chosun Baek Ji-eun] The fandom of former singer Yoo Seung-jun has issued a second statement.
The fans of Yoo Seung-jun Gallery issued their second statement on the 12th. They mentioned, “After the release of our statement, President Lee Jae-myung’s SNS remarks from 10 years ago have resurfaced.” At that time, President Lee Jae-myung strongly criticized Yoo Seung-jun, labeling him as someone who ‘abandoned his country to evade military duty.’
They continued, “However, the special pardon list for Liberation Day includes cases different from the criticism back then.” They pointed out individuals who falsified documents for their children’s college admissions, undermining fairness, and those who misused funds meant for comfort women victims. These individuals were pardoned under the pretext of national unity.
“We are not criticizing this decision. We ask for the same reasons and principles to be applied equally to all citizens. While politicians receive generous decisions and leniency, it is unfair to subject Yoo Seung-jun, a regular citizen, to harsher standards for over 20 years,” they argued. They respectfully requested the lifting of the entry ban on Yoo Seung-jun, allowing him to step onto Korean soil again, aligning with the true spirit of national unity and harmony advocated by the Liberation Day pardon.
The Yoo Seung-jun Gallery fans had already requested President Lee Jae-myung on the 9th to permit Yoo Seung-jun’s entry into Korea. This rekindled attention to Lee’s comments made in 2015 when he was the mayor of Seongnam. Back then, Lee labeled Yoo Seung-jun as one who ‘abandoned his duty to the nation,’ questioning if Yoo now wanted to return to enjoy the benefits while avoiding responsibility.
Yoo Seung-jun, in 2002, left Korea under the pretext of overseas performances ahead of his military enlistment, only to renounce his Korean citizenship and acquire U.S. citizenship, leading to his entry ban. In 2015, Yoo applied for an F-4 overseas residency visa at the LA Consulate, and upon rejection, he filed two administrative lawsuits, both of which he won. However, the LA Consulate denied his visa issuance again, prompting a third lawsuit against the LA Consulate and the Minister of Justice. The Ministry of Justice maintains its stance, stating that Yoo Seung-jun’s entry could cause social unrest.
Baek Ji-eun, [email protected]