ENTERTAINMENT
Steve Yoo Wins Third Legal Battle for Visa Issuance, Shares Reflections on YouTube
On August 31, Yoo expressed his sincere feelings on his YouTube channel following his victory in the lawsuit against the visa issuance denial.
In the video, Yoo stated, "The greatest blessing in my life is having my beloved wife and family. Even during tough times, I felt abundant and grateful. My wife and children, especially my twin daughters, have been a source of healing for me," expressing deep affection for his family.
He continued, "Through hardships, love and comfort become closer and deeper. In moments of trial, the real and the fake, the finite and the infinite, become clearly distinguished. It would be nice to learn life without mistakes and regrets, but eventually, as wrinkles and white beards increase, one realizes. No one is an exception, and only after losing do you realize the value, making me feel foolish," he confessed.
Yoo also commented on the media, saying, "There is no easy life in this world. It's unfortunate how the media distorts facts and tarnishes sincerity." Reflecting on his past, he admitted, "I used to live with a sense of superiority, easily judging others. But as time passed, I realized others were better than me. Now, I don't judge anyone. I realized that sharply judging others without truly knowing their lives was ignorance."
In conclusion, Yoo stated, "In life, everyone has their own stance. So now, I don't judge anyone easily. I once criticized others based on my standards, but I realized how reckless it was to say, 'I wouldn't have done that.' Looking back as I age, I realize I'm not in a position to judge others."
Previously, on August 28, the Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of Yoo in his lawsuit against the Los Angeles (LA) Consul General's decision to deny his visa issuance.
The court stated, "The public interest gained from the entry ban is far less than the disadvantage suffered by the plaintiff," and ruled that the visa denial was against the principle of proportionality and an abuse of discretion. However, the court clarified, "This decision does not imply that Yoo's past actions were appropriate." The court also noted, "In the absence of special circumstances, those over 38 should be granted residency status," and "The Overseas Koreans Act allows for the restriction of residency status due to military evasion, but it does not permit indefinite deprivation."
The former Overseas Koreans Act stipulated that even if nationality was lost due to military evasion, residency status should be granted after the age of 38. Accordingly, the court ruled, "Even if Yoo left the country to evade military service, he cannot be indefinitely banned from entry for that reason alone," and "If over 38, the entry ban should be lifted unless there are other special circumstances under the Immigration Control Act."
The court also noted, "The defendant maintained the entry ban based on public sentiment and the importance of military duty, but this pertains to the 2002 military evasion incident," and "It is unjust to deny visa issuance for this reason." The lawsuit requesting confirmation of the existence of the '2002 entry ban measure' was dismissed as "not subject to judgment."
Yoo, once a top singer in Korea, had expressed his intention to enlist in the military but suddenly acquired U.S. citizenship, leading to criticism for evading military duty. Since 2002, he has been banned from entering Korea.
In 2015, at the age of 38, he applied for a visa under the Overseas Koreans (F-4) status according to the then Overseas Koreans Act, which allowed for residency status even if nationality was lost due to military evasion after the age of 38. However, the LA Consulate General denied this, and Yoo filed a lawsuit. In the first lawsuit, after a lengthy legal battle reaching the Supreme Court, he won, but the Consulate General again refused to issue the visa, citing "the potential harm to national interest from military duty evasion." Yoo filed a second lawsuit in 2020 and won again in the Supreme Court in 2023.
Nevertheless, in June of last year, the Consulate General again denied issuance, and Yoo filed a third lawsuit in September of the same year, resulting in the recent ruling.
