"It Could Send the Wrong Signal to the Public" vs. "The Same Story for 10 Years" ... Steve Yoo Visa Lawsuit Faces Off Again

[Financial News] A 10-year legal battle between the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles and Steve Yoo over the issuance of a visa for entry into South Korea has resumed.
According to News 1 on the 3rd, Seoul High Court Administrative Division 8-2 held the first hearing in the appeal trial of Yoo's lawsuit seeking to overturn the consulate's refusal to issue a visa. It is the second trial in his third administrative lawsuit after his visa application was denied.
The consulate argued that the special nature of the Overseas Korean (F-4) visa Yoo applied for justified the refusal.
The consulate said, "The visa Yoo applied for is an Overseas Korean visa, a status that allows entry into the Republic of Korea and grants rights almost identical to those of nationals," adding, "Issuing the visa would effectively incorporate Yoo, who is in fact a foreign national, into society as a member."
It added, "We question whether it is appropriate for the state to allow such an effect for Yoo, who gave up his nationality to avoid military service."
Regarding the lower court ruling that favored Yoo, the consulate said, "Yoo is an icon of military draft evasion in South Korean society," and added, "If the original ruling stands, it could send the wrong signal to the public." The point was that it would set a bad precedent, suggesting that even if someone evades military service, they can still end up getting what they want.
In response, Yoo's side shot back, "Even though the Supreme Court has ruled twice, the consulate has been repeating the same thing for 10 years."
It also argued, "Even though there is no explicit legal basis for denying entry, they are citing sentiment rather than the law." The claim was that the consulate's refusal was unjust because the Supreme Court had already ruled in Yoo's favor.
The appellate panel closed arguments that day and decided to deliver its ruling at 2 p.m. on Sept. 4.
Earlier, Yoo sparked controversy over draft evasion in 2002 after obtaining U.S. citizenship three months before his scheduled military enlistment. At the time, the Ministry of Justice banned his entry into the country, and the Overseas Korean visa he applied for at the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles in 2015 was also denied.
Yoo later filed two lawsuits in 2015 and 2020 seeking to overturn the visa refusal, and he won both cases in the end.
However, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles refused again, saying that "Yoo's words and actions since February 2020 could harm the interests of the Republic of Korea," which led to the third lawsuit.
In August last year, the trial court again ruled in Yoo's favor, saying, "The harm to Yoo is excessively large compared with the public benefit gained from the government's refusal to issue the visa." But the consulate appealed, and the third lawsuit has now reached the second trial, where the appeal is still under way.

sms@fnnews.com Sung Min-seo Reporter