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For a bit of background information, Yoo Seung Joon was once one of Korea's top stars back a decade ago and he often spoke about carrying out his military service and doing his duty as a Korean male citizen. However, he was eventually banned from returning to Korea for what was considered an act of desertion, after secretly obtaining a United States citizenship that excused him from mandatory military service in Korea, just a few months before he was due for enlistment.
In a stream through Afreeca TV yesterday, 13 years after the scandal, the singer got on his hands and knees as he tearfully apologized for his past actions. He also added that he even asked if he could enlist in the Korean military last year to carry out his service now, but that he was denied because he requested for enlistment a year after the age limit. He mentioned that he is willing to give up his U.S. citizenship and asked to be allowed back into Korea.
With questions flooding in about whether this apology would give him any sort of leniency in potentially getting his ban lifted, the Military Manpower Administration put their foot down saying "there is nothing to discuss".
A rep from the Administration told Newsen during a phone interview, "Isn't Yoo Seung Joon of U.S. citizenship? He cast Korea away 13 years ago. He obtained U.S. citizenship so that he didn't have to serve in the military... He is also legally not even a Korean citizen, so how can he enlist in the Korean military now? This is the same thing as telling an American to go enlist in the Korean military."
The Justice Department also responded in a similar manner, commenting, "We know that Yoo Seung Joon gave an interview through an internet broadcast yesterday. However, the position of the Justice Department has not changed. We are not considering the restoration of his Korean citizenship nor lifting the ban at all."
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