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Singer Yoo Seung-jun, banned from Korea, cheers for national team in uniform
🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Singer Yoo Seung-jun, banned from Korea, cheers for national team in uniform

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Singer Yoo Seung-jun, banned from entering South Korea for over 20 years due to draft evasion, posted a video supporting the national soccer team while wearing a national uniform.
  • Yoo stated in the video and its description that despite life's events, his support for South Korea remains unchanged.
  • The controversy stems from Yoo's departure to the U.S. for performances and obtaining U.S. citizenship in 2002, thereby avoiding mandatory military service.

Singer Yoo Seung-jun, who has been unable to return to South Korea for over two decades due to a draft evasion controversy, has shared a video of himself cheering for the national soccer team while wearing a South Korean uniform.

No matter what anyone says, I support South Korea, past, present, and future.

— Yoo Seung-junTitle of the YouTube video posted by Yoo Seung-jun.

Yoo, 50, posted the video on his personal YouTube channel on June 12 with the title "No matter what anyone says, I support South Korea, past, present, and future." In the video, he is seen wearing the national team's jersey and cheering.

Many things have happened in my life, and there have been many stories. But one thing has not changed.

— Yoo Seung-junYoo's statement in the description of his YouTube video.

In the video's description, Yoo reflected on his life, stating, "Many things have happened in my life, and there have been many stories. But one thing has not changed." He added, "No matter what anyone says, I support South Korea. I always have, and I always will." He concluded with "Fighting Korea."

No matter what anyone says, I support South Korea. I always have, and I always will.

— Yoo Seung-junYoo's statement in the description of his YouTube video.

Yoo debuted in 1997 and was actively promoting as a singer in South Korea. He had promised to enlist in the military but left for the U.S. in January 2002 for performances and subsequently obtained U.S. citizenship, thus evading his mandatory military service. The Ministry of Justice cited that he fell under the category of individuals whose actions could harm national interests or public safety, leading to his entry being restricted. Despite filing lawsuits to return to Korea, Yoo has been unable to re-enter the country for over 20 years.

Fighting Korea.

— Yoo Seung-junYoo's concluding remark in his YouTube video description.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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