Former popular 90s Korean star Yoo Seung Jun (38), also known by Steve Yoo, continues his fight to regain entrance into South Korea after nearly a decade of exile.
On November 17th local time, Yoo Seung Jun filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Consulate General after being denied a visa to South Korea.
Currently a U.S. citizen, he filed for an F-4 visa and was denied earlier in September citing reasons from 2002.
In 2002, Yoo Seung Jun officially became a U.S. citizen just as his time to enlist in the military was nearing thus he effectively dodged the draft. In South Korea, it is required for every able Korean male to serve in the military for two years. Because it was deemed as desertion by the government, Yoo Seung Jun was deported and exiled from the country and in past 13 years has not stepped foot in the country.
Under the Overseas Korean Act Article 5 Section 2, “Those who lose their Republic of Korea citizenship and acquired a foreign nationality in order to evade military service,” Yoo Seung Jun cannot be issued an F-4 visa.
Yoo Seung Jun stated, “I am not a simple foreigner and have as much a right to stay [in Korea] as Koreans residing overseas under the law of an overseas countryman, so the rules of exclusion do not apply to me (Korea Times).”
Earlier this year, he made a special AfreecaTV broadcast to Korea in order to explain his side of the story. His fight to step foot into South Korea continues.
Source: Korea Times and Joongang
