Singer Yoo Seung-jun, also known as Steve Yoo, may be able to return to Korea despite dodging the draft by taking U.S. citizenship, the Seoul High Court ruled Friday.

The court ruled the government had violated the law by refusing to grant Yoo an entry visa. But the Foreign Ministry plans to appeal.

Yoo, who was popular in the late 1990s, repeatedly promised to report for duty but in January 2002 took U.S. citizenship. He had flown to the U.S. by special permission from the Military Manpower Administration and submitted a written pledge to return but failed to do so.

Amid the ensuing hoo-ha the Justice Ministry banned him from returning to Korea. He filed a lawsuit against the Korean government after a visa application was rejected in 2015.

Lower courts ruled in favor of the government saying that allowing Yoo to return could "damage the morale" of young conscripts and encourage other draft dodgers. But the Supreme Court in July sent the case back to a lower court, saying it is unlawful to refuse a visa based on nothing more than an order by the Justice Ministry to ban him some 17 years ago.

Legal experts said the Supreme Court is likely to uphold its original ruling if the Foreign Ministry appeals. But even then the Korean Consulate in Los Angeles retains some discretion and could cite other reasons for rejecting his next visa application.

