[Comprehensive] Overseas Korean Director "Yoo Seung-jun Entry Should Be Allowed" Conflicting Stance with Military Manpower Administration... Ruling Party Calls It "Risky Level"

Han Woo-sung Chairman: "If the Supreme Court ruling allowed entry, Yoo Seung-jun should be allowed entry"
Mo Jong-hwa Military Manpower Administration Chief at Oct 13 audit: "Steve Yoo entry ban must be maintained"
Ahn Min-seok: "Public officials must be cautious with every word"

Han Woo-sung, Chairman of the Overseas Koreans Foundation (left), is discussing with officials at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's audit of the Korea International Cooperation Agency, Korea Foundation, and Overseas Koreans Foundation held on the morning of the 19th in Yeouido, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Han Woosung, chairman of the Overseas Koreans Foundation, expressed the position that singer Yoo Seungjun (44, U.S. name Steven Seungjun Yoo), whose entry into Korea has been blocked due to evading military service, should be allowed to enter the country. This opinion contrasts with that of Mo Jonghwa, commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, who previously stated that the ban on Yoo's entry should be maintained.

Chairman Han appeared at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's audit on the 19th and stated, "If entry was permitted by the Korean Supreme Court ruling, I believe Yoo Seungjun's entry should be allowed." This was in response to a question from Lee Taegyu, a member of the People's Party, asking, "What is your stance on the refusal to allow Yoo's entry?"

However, he added that Yoo himself must make efforts to build public consensus for his entry to be accepted. Chairman Han explained, "I understand the sentiment of our people well," and said, "Therefore, before fighting legally unconditionally, I think he (Yoo) should also make sufficient efforts to form a public consensus."

In response, members of the ruling party criticized Chairman Han's remarks as "dangerous."

Democratic Party member An Minseok, a member of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, said to Chairman Han, "Your support for Yoo Seungjun's entry is at a very dangerous level," emphasizing, "Public officials must be cautious with every word they say."

Chairman Han's remarks stand in contrast to the position of the Military Manpower Administration.

Mojonghwa, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration / Photo by Yonhap News

Commissioner Mo of the Military Manpower Administration expressed opposition to Yoo's entry during the National Assembly National Defense Committee audit held on the 13th. Commissioner Mo said that day, "(Yoo) is not Korean but an American named Steve Yoo," and emphasized, "From the Military Manpower Administration's standpoint, entry should be prohibited."

He continued, "Steve Yoo voluntarily abandoned his noble military duty and repeatedly promised the public to fulfill his military obligations fairly but refused to do so," adding, "If he enters and resumes activities in the entertainment industry, how much loss of morale would the soldiers currently serving their military duties feel at this moment?"

Meanwhile, Yoo posted a lengthy letter addressed to Commissioner Mo on his Instagram that day.

Singer Yoo Seung-jun. / Photo by Yonhap News

Yoo stated, "I am still sorry for disappointing many people by not keeping my promise to serve in the military," but argued, "To impose an indefinite ban on my entry because of that issue and to refuse my entry even now, 18 years later, based on the same logic as back then, is unreasonable."

Yoo had previously won a final victory at the Supreme Court in March after a retrial regarding an administrative lawsuit to revoke the visa issuance refusal by the Los Angeles (LA) Consulate General.

However, the LA Consulate General again refused to issue a visa to Yoo in July, based on Article 5, Paragraph 2 of the current Overseas Koreans Act concerning entry and legal status, which states, "If there is a concern that the safety, order maintenance, or other interests of Korea may be harmed, the status of stay for overseas Koreans shall not be granted."

In response, Yoo's side appealed, saying, "I only failed to keep a promise as an entertainer, but imposing an indefinite entry ban citing Korea's safety and other reasons and refusing entry with the same logic even after 18 years and 7 months is illegal."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.