Seoul:A court of appeals has upheld a lower court's decision in favor of Korean American singer Steve Yoo, marking a victory in his third lawsuit against the South Korean government's denial of his entry visa. The case centers on Yoo's renunciation of his Korean citizenship, which was allegedly done to avoid mandatory military service.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul High Court ruled that the South Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles must revoke its decision to deny Yoo an entry visa, confirming an earlier ruling by the Seoul Administrative Court in August last year.
The Seoul High Court did not provide a detailed explanation for its decision. This appeal is part of Yoo's ongoing legal battle against the LA consulate general's refusal to issue him a visa.
Steve Yoo, also known as Yoo Seung-jun, has been barred from entering South Korea since 2002 after becoming a U.S. citizen. His initial lawsuit was filed in 2015 following the consulate's refusal to grant him a visa. In 2020, he won a Supreme Court case which found the visa denial procedurally flawed. Despite this ruling, the consulate continued to deny his visa applications, leading to subsequent lawsuits.
In November 2023, the Supreme Court again ruled in Yoo's favor. However, when the LA consulate general refused to issue a visa in June 2024, Yoo initiated a third lawsuit. The Seoul Administrative Court ruled in August 2025 that the consulate's visa denial was illegal, constituting an abuse of discretion.