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| Korean American singer Yoo Seung-jun speaks in his YouTube video uploaded on Jan. 9, 2021. Screenshot from YouTube |
By Lee Hae-rin
A court decision is scheduled to be handed down later this week on Korean American singer Steve Yoo's second legal battle against the nation's diplomatic mission in the United States, which has still refused to issue a visa to him despite his tribunal victory in 2020.
According to the Seoul Administrative Court, Sunday, the court plans to make a decision, Thursday, on Yoo's litigation against the Los Angeles Consulate General.
Yoo, also known as Yoo Seung-jun, faced draft evasion allegations in 2002, when he acquired American citizenship during his visit to the U.S. for concerts in January of that year, right before he was due to be enlisted in the military.
Upon the request of the Military Manpower Administration, the Ministry of Justice prohibited Yoo's entry to Korea in February that year. Yoo has not been able to enter Korea for the past 20 years, except at the time of the funeral of his fiancee's father in 2003.
In September 2015, Yoo filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Consulate General for refusing to issue his F-4 visa and the Supreme Court decided in his favor in March 2020.
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs again refused to issue him a visa in 2020, leading Yoo to file another lawsuit. Yoo's defense said when it filed the latest lawsuit that the consulate general's refusal to issue him a visa goes against the principle of proportionality and equality.
In response, the Korean diplomatic mission in L.A. said the public interests of fulfilling military duty is more important than Yoo's personal interests.
