Singer Yoo Seung-jun (Steve Yoo), banned from entering the country due to allegations of evading military service, stated that he has never demanded a pardon.
Recently, ahead of Liberation Day, Yoo Seung-jun's fans released a statement through online communities, saying, "Just like the cases of pardons for politicians, we ask for fairness to be applied to Yoo Seung-jun as well," and claimed, "Please lift the ban on his entry, which has lasted over 20 years," sparking controversy.
In response, Yoo Seung-jun posted a lengthy statement on his social media on the 13th, saying, "I have never wanted a pardon, and I do not even know who submitted the statement again."
He lamented, "Even the official fan club is saying it is not their position, and that they know nothing about it. Am I supposed to suffer discomfort because of a statement submitted by someone who does not even know who I am?"
He continued, "I have no desire to make money in Korea. It seems that people believe someone will be waiting for me with bundles of cash if I go there," and explained, "I have no intention of receiving benefits and do not wish to either."
He also said, "I wanted to enter the country to restore my honor. It is very regrettable to be entangled in such issues," and emphasized, "The law must be equal for everyone, and fairness must not be violated."
Meanwhile, Yoo Seung-jun was banned from entering the country after he left for an overseas performance ahead of his military enlistment in 2002, renouncing his Korean nationality and obtaining American citizenship, and subsequently found himself on the entry ban list amidst the military evasion controversy. In 2015, he applied for a Korean diaspora visa (F-4) at the Los Angeles Consulate General but was denied. He won his lawsuit twice to cancel the visa denial, but the consulate general refused the visa again, and in November of last year, he received a final ruling in his favor from the Supreme Court in his second lawsuit.
Nevertheless, the Los Angeles Consulate General and the Ministry of Justice still maintain their 'entry denial' stance. Yoo Seung-jun has filed a third administrative lawsuit this year, and the Ministry of Justice has refused to issue his visa, citing that it could cause social chaos upon entry.
Here is the full text of Yoo Seung-jun's statement.
I have never wanted a pardon,
and I do not even know who submitted the statement again.
Even the official fan club is saying it is not their position, and that they know nothing about it.
Am I supposed to suffer discomfort because of a statement submitted by someone who does not even know who I am?
I do not know why someone would want to misinterpret this because that's all they can think of.
I have no desire to make money in Korea.
It seems that people believe someone will be waiting for me with bundles of cash if I go there.
I have no intention of receiving benefits and do not wish to either.
I wanted to enter the country to restore my honor.
It is very regrettable to be entangled in such issues.
"It's a scary world where the real becomes fake and the fake becomes real."
The law must be equal for everyone, and fairness must not be violated.
[Photo] SNS
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