Amid controversy over the demand for a pardon from President Lee Jae-myung by fans of singer Yoo Seung-jun (Steve Yoo), who has been banned from entering the country due to allegations of evading military service, past writings of President Lee Jae-myung have come to light.
Recently, Yoo Seung-jun's fans released a statement through online communities claiming, "Please apply fairness to Yoo Seung-jun just like in cases of political pardons."
Yoo Seung-jun's fans requested a pardon, stating, "We hope that the president's decision could serve as an embodiment of the constitutional values of fairness and justice, fostering national unity."
Yoo Seung-jun debuted as a singer in 1997 but became embroiled in controversy over evading military service after acquiring U.S. citizenship following his departure for a performance in 2002, losing his Korean nationality. He has since been banned from entering Korea for 23 years.
He filed lawsuits to cancel the rejection of his overseas Korean (F-4) visa issuance three times, winning twice; however, following the Seoul Consulate's repeated visa denial in June last year, a third lawsuit is ongoing.
In the situation where Yoo Seung-jun's visa issuance is consistently denied, fans have even requested a "pardon" on his behalf. Amid public indifference, President Lee Jae-myung's post from 10 years ago on social media has been brought back into focus.
In a post made during his tenure as the mayor of Seongnam, President Lee mentioned Yoo Seung-jun's military evasion case with the title, "What can you say now, having abandoned the country to evade your duties?"
At that time, the president asked, "Mr. Yoo Seung-jun, do you want to return to Korea, a harsh country where young people, who live far more difficult lives than you, are dying today due to gun violence while fulfilling their military obligations?" and later pointed out, "Do Koreans need more money in their pockets? Or has your patriotism suddenly become abundant?"
He continued, "Enjoying all kinds of benefits and advantages as a Korean citizen while avoiding the obligation to serve your country, why should we grant you special favors again when you chose the path of a foreigner solely because we resemble you as Koreans and suffer relative deprivation?"
He added, "The feelings of relative deprivation and injustice sufficiently exist due to the high-ranking government officials who evade military service and flaunt their wealth. Please be faithful to your country and forget about the Korea that you betrayed and abandoned."
Meanwhile, President Lee Jae-myung pardoned a total of 2,188 individuals on Aug. 11 during the Liberation Day special pardons.
[Photo] Yoo Seung-jun's social media.
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