oh my. This is getting worse and worse for her
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Min Hee-jin directs report on workplace harassment, leading to HYBE's clearance
Min Hee-jin faces scrutiny amid allegations of workplace misconduct linked to HYBE's executive team.
By
Jang Woo-jeong
Published 2025.01.13. 08:09
The Ministry of Employment and Labor confirmed that it recently processed the workplace harassment case involving the management of the country's largest entertainment company, HYBE, as 'not guilty' (administratively closed).
This conclusion follows the report made by L, the former deputy representative known to be close to Min Hee-jin, the former head of ADOR, who reported multiple HYBE executives for workplace harassment, claiming that HYBE had conducted illegal audits by coercively collecting information assets last September.
CHOSUNBIZ confirmed that Min, the former representative, was deeply involved in directing L's report to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
L is known to have also been involved in the plan to seize management rights from Min. ADOR is one of HYBE's labels (agencies). Since last year, there has been an ongoing legal dispute over the seizure of management rights between Min and HYBE.
According to a comprehensive industry report on the 13th, the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office under the Ministry of Employment and Labor stated last month, 'The workplace harassment at HYBE is not recognized,' and administratively closed the report made by L.
At that time, he reported five key executives, including Kim Joo-young, the head of ADOR, and Lee Kyung-jun, an internal director of ADOR (HYBE's chief financial officer), for workplace harassment.
The background of L's hasty report dates back to July of last year. At that time, a media outlet reported that L faced allegations of workplace harassment and sexual harassment, and that Min was attempting to cover up the incident. L was identified as a party involved in the workplace harassment.
According to reports, in March of last year, A (the victim) filed a report internally, stating that L had harassed her by making her join unwanted drinking events due to her role as the 'young female' person in charge and subsequently left her alone with an outsider, along with comments that were aggressively offensive.
Min, who was leading ADOR at the time, is reported to have instructed L during the initial investigation of the incident on how to respond, asking, 'Shouldn't we countercharge A with false accusations?' and 'Make sure to pressure them (life is a reality check).' He also specifically coached L on answers to the investigation.
Having heard this late, A claimed that fair investigations were not conducted due to the interference of CEO Min Hee-jin and others during the initial investigation, and demanded a re-investigation in August of last year.
ADOR announced in August of last year that it would conduct a re-investigation, and it was reported that it actually carried this out using an external agency. As the re-investigation proceeded, Min directed L again on how to respond.
According to a Telegram conversation obtained by CHOSUNBIZ (
see top image), Min instructed L to report the HYBE and ADOR executives conducting the re-investigation for workplace harassment to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
Min advised, 'The workplace harassment report is a counter-response to A's report and is an unspoken pressure to ensure both are investigated fairly,' to which L responded, 'Hearing you, it seems meaningful to report,' and 'To make it effective, I should stay a bit attached to the company.'
Min stated, 'Use vacation and sick leave appropriately while reporting and just hold out until September,' and it is known that L actually used vacation and sick leave to delay the re-investigation schedule. He also reported the HYBE executives for workplace harassment to the Ministry of Employment and Labor in September as directed.
As a result, there is an interpretation that L's report was conducted to obstruct the re-investigation according to Min's guidelines. The circumstances suggesting that Min intervened not only in the initial investigation but also in the re-investigation of L's sexual harassment case are expected to negatively affect future trials.
CHOSUNBIZ attempted to get a response from Min's side regarding this matter, contacting Min and the team responsible for his public relations at Mackoll Consulting Group several times, but was unable to reach them.
Meanwhile, A is reportedly known to have filed a complaint with the Seoul Western District Office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor against Min and L for unfair labor practices and labor-management irregularities in August of last year.
In addition, claiming that she is innocent, Min filed a lawsuit against A for breaching the Labor Standards Act and Personal Information Protection Act and spreading false information, demanding compensation of 100 million won, for allegedly leaking conversations with A without consent through social media (SNS) and other means.
Recently, during the mediation process held at the Seoul Western District Court, Min's side opposed, stating, 'We cannot acknowledge A's claims themselves,' and the matter is set to proceed to a formal trial.
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