Yoo Seung-jun's 'Visa Issuance Refusal Appeal Trial' Verdict to Be Delivered on the 13th

Yoo Seung-jun, 8 Years of Administrative Litigation with LA Consulate General
Court: "Service Members Feel Deprived... No Issue with Visa Denial"

Singer Yoo Seung-jun (Steve Seung-jun Yoo)'s visa issuance appeal trial result will be announced next week. Yoo had previously won a final victory in March 2020 after taking a lawsuit against the Los Angeles (LA) Consulate General to the Supreme Court in 2015, but when the LA Consulate General continued to refuse to issue the visa, he filed a retrial in October 2020.

On the 9th, the Seoul High Court Administrative Division 9-3 (Presiding Judges Cho Chan-young, Kim Mu-shin, Kim Seung-joo) announced that the appeal trial verdict for Yoo's lawsuit against the LA Consulate General to cancel the refusal of passport and visa issuance will be delivered at 2 p.m. on the 13th.

Yoo Seung-jun. [Photo by YouTube]

Yoo faced controversy over evading military service after leaving the country for overseas performances ahead of his enlistment in January 2002 and acquiring U.S. citizenship. In response, the Ministry of Justice restricted Yoo's entry in February of the same year, and Yoo filed a lawsuit claiming that the LA Consulate General refused his application for an Overseas Korean (F-4) visa in 2015.

Yoo lost in the first and second trials but ultimately won in March 2020 after the Supreme Court remanded the case. The Supreme Court ruled that the LA Consulate General's refusal to issue the visa solely because of the previous entry ban decision by the Ministry of Justice was illegal.

Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the LA Consulate General continued to reject Yoo's visa application. Yoo filed another administrative lawsuit in October 2020 but lost in the first trial of the second administrative lawsuit. The court held that the Supreme Court's ruling meant there was a procedural illegality in refusing the visa issuance, but it did not mean Yoo must be granted the visa.

The first trial court stated, "Yoo left the country after being classified as Grade 4 supplementary service and receiving a summons for public service duty," and added, "Yoo's existence undoubtedly causes great loss and deprivation to South Korean soldiers and their families."

Additionally, the court said that Yoo could visit South Korea with a short-term visit visa in unavoidable circumstances. In fact, Yoo was allowed a limited three-day stay in Korea by the Ministry of Justice in June 2003 to attend his fianc?e's father's funeral.

The LA Consulate General pointed out, "The Overseas Korean visa Yoo wants to be issued is a visa that allows free economic activities in Korea," and questioned, "Whether Yoo's purpose of entry, 'employment,' truly aligns with the intended purpose."

Meanwhile, Yoo argues that the refusal to issue the visa itself violates the constitutional principles of proportionality and equality, and that blocking his entry for a long period is an unprecedented and excessive disadvantage.

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