Controversy Over Yoo Seung-jun’s Military Service Evasion and Reflection on President Lee Jae-myung's Past Comments

As the voices of fans demanding the allowance of singer Yoo Seung-jun (Steve Yoo), who acquired U.S. citizenship to evade military service and has been banned from entering the country, grow louder, President Lee Jae-myung's stern remarks made during his tenure as Seongnam mayor are again being spotlighted.

This post reveals the current president's clear stance on Yoo Seung-jun's entry issue.

The Current President’s Clear Stance

In 2015, while serving as Seongnam mayor, President Lee Jae-myung posted a statement on his account titled "What are you going to say now after abandoning your country to evade your duties?"

In the post, President Lee directly criticized Yoo Seung-jun, saying, "Do you want to return to this harsh country, South Korea, where younger people who live much more difficult lives than you are dying in gun accidents while fulfilling their military obligations? Do you need more money from Koreans' pockets? Or have you suddenly become filled with patriotism?"

The Demand for Yoo Seung-jun's Entry Allowance and Past Military Evasion Controversy

Furthermore, referring to Yoo Seung-jun as "one who sang in the language of Korea and enjoyed all the benefits and advantages as a citizen of our nation, but chose to abandon Korea and walk the path of a foreigner when it came time to fulfill your national duty," President Lee emphatically asked, "Why should we, just because you resemble a Korean, once again grant you special privileges and suffer from relative deprivation?"

He concluded with, "The relative deprivation and injustices enough are from the high-ranking public officials of this country who evade military service in numerous ways while living lavishly. Please forget about your homeland and remain true to the country you betrayed and abandoned, South Korea."

The reason why this post written by President Lee during his time as Seongnam mayor has recently gained attention again is that Yoo Seung-jun's fans have requested his entry ahead of the Liberation Day special pardon.

On the 9th, Yoo Seung-jun's fans appealed for his entry through the 'Yoo Seung-jun Gallery,' stating, "Yoo Seung-jun has endured much criticism and sanctions over the years. This does not mean he has done nothing wrong, but he has sufficiently borne the social responsibility that comes with it."

Meanwhile, Yoo Seung-jun became embroiled in controversy over military service evasion after acquiring U.S. citizenship ahead of his enlistment in 2002, resulting in a 13-year ban on entering South Korea.

Image Source: President Lee Jae-myung / News1, Post written by President Lee Jae-myung during his time as Seongnam mayor in 2015 / Facebook 'Lee Jae-myung', Instagram 'yooseungjun_official'