Fans of singer Yoo Seung-jun (48, American name Steve Seung-jun Yoo), who sparked controversy over evading military service, recently appealed to President Lee Jae-myung for a pardon and permission to enter the country, leading to a reexamination of a post in which President Lee criticized Yoo 10 years ago.
During his time as the mayor of Seongnam in 2015, President Lee posted on social media (SNS) with the title, “What can you say now, having abandoned your country to avoid your duty to the people?”
In the post, President Lee stated, “Mr. Yoo Seung-jun. Do you want to return to Korea, a harsh country where young people, living much harder lives than you, are dying today from gun violence while fulfilling their military obligations?” and questioned, “Do you need more money from the pockets of Koreans, or have you suddenly become filled with patriotism?”
He continued, “You, who sang in the language of Korea and enjoyed all the benefits and privileges of being a Korean citizen, chose to abandon Korea and take the path of a foreigner to avoid fulfilling your duty as a citizen. Why should we, just because we resemble you as Koreans, give you special treatment again and suffer from relative deprivation?”
President Lee added, “The sense of relative deprivation and injustice is already sufficient with high-ranking officials in this country who evade military service in various ways and live lavishly. Please be faithful to your country, and I hope you forget the Republic of Korea that you betrayed and abandoned.”
The background of the post gaining attention is that on the 9th, fans of Yoo Seung-jun demanded a pardon, saying, “Please apply the spirit of tolerance and inclusiveness to Yoo Seung-jun as well,” after news broke that former Justice Party leader Cho Kuk and others were being considered for special pardons on Liberation Day.
They expressed in a statement, “Yoo Seung-jun has endured much criticism and sanctions over the years,” and appealed, “We hope the will for national unity and harmony is applied equally to ordinary citizens like Yoo Seung-jun.”
Yoo Seung-jun debuted as a singer in Korea in 1997 and lost his Korean nationality after obtaining U.S. citizenship while leaving the country for a performance ahead of his military service in 2002. Since then, he has been unable to enter the country for 23 years due to the government's refusal to issue a visa.
Meanwhile, the government announced on the 11th that it would carry out a large-scale special pardon for 836,687 people to mark the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day.
Included in the pardon and restoration list are 27 politicians and high-ranking officials, including former Justice Party leader Cho Kuk and his wife, former lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, former Seongnam mayor Eun Soo-mi, and former Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu. Special reduction measures will also be implemented for 834,499 individuals subject to administrative sanctions in passenger and cargo transportation and driver's licenses.
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
