Min Hee-jin Accuses HYBE Executives of Embezzlement Over NewJeans

Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR, has filed embezzlement charges against two executives from HYBE, including the Chief Communications Officer Park Tae-hee and the Head of Public Relations Jo Sung-hoon. The law firm Sejong and the Makol Consulting Group, representing Min, announced on the 26th that they reported the executives to the Yongsan Police Station for their alleged misconduct.

According to Min's legal team, both Park and Jo, who are part of HYBE's shared services PR organization, were in a position to promote NewJeans while receiving commissions from ADOR. However, they claim that instead of fulfilling their responsibilities, the executives downplayed the group's achievements, causing significant harm to both ADOR and NewJeans. They expressed hope for appropriate criminal penalties to be imposed on the accused.

Min is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with HYBE over allegations of corporate takeover. During a press conference held on April 25 at the Korea Conference Center in Gangnam, she denied the accusations and directed profanities at HYBE officials, referring to them with derogatory terms.

On August 27, ADOR's board of directors dismissed Min from her position, citing the need to separate production and management for the company's benefit and adherence to multi-label principles. Following her dismissal, Kim Joo-young, the Chief Human Resources Officer of HYBE, was appointed as the new CEO of ADOR. On October 17, the ADOR board held an extraordinary shareholders' meeting, where they voted to reappoint Min as a director.

However, on the 20th, Min announced her intention to step down from her position as an internal director at ADOR, signaling the start of an external struggle against HYBE. She has also filed a complaint against the management of Belift Lab, a label under HYBE, including CEO Kim Tae-ho, for defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.

Additionally, Min has initiated a lawsuit seeking 5 billion KRW in damages from Belift Lab, which is associated with the group ILY:1. Her legal team stated that Kim Tae-ho falsely claimed that Min delayed a civil lawsuit filed by Belift Lab, labeling it as a blatant falsehood. They expect that the first hearing for the counterclaim filed by Min will take place during the initial trial scheduled for January next year, urging Belift Lab to engage sincerely in the proceedings.

The 12th Civil Division of the Seoul Western District Court is set to hold the first hearing for the damages lawsuit filed by Belift Lab against Min on January 10 next year, with the initial claim amounting to 2 billion KRW. It is anticipated that the court will also address the complaints Min has filed against Kim Tae-ho and others during this session.

Previously, Min accused Belift Lab of plagiarizing the production formula for NewJeans while producing ILY:1. Belift Lab has denied these allegations and subsequently filed both criminal and civil lawsuits against Min for defamation.