In a surprising turn of events, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has cleared HYBE of any workplace harassment allegations after an investigation into claims made by a former vice president of the company.
The accusations, which involved some of HYBE's top executives, have left the entertainment giant with a sigh of relief. But the plot thickens, as former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin's involvement in the whole ordeal has raised some serious questions.
The case began last September when L, a former HYBE executive and close associate of Min Hee Jin, filed a report claiming illegal audits and workplace harassment within the company. L named several top HYBE executives, including Kim Juyoung, the CEO of ADOR, and Lee Kyung Jun, ADOR's CFO, as the alleged harassers.
L’s accusations quickly became tangled with a bitter legal feud over management control at ADOR, which is one of HYBE’s labels. For those unfamiliar, this feud between Min Hee Jin and HYBE has been simmering for months, and this new report only added fuel to the fire.
According to industry insiders, the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office officially closed the case in December, finding no evidence to support the claims of workplace harassment at HYBE.
However, the saga doesn't end there. The investigation took a dramatic turn when L revealed in messages obtained by Chosun Biz that Min Hee Jin had been advising L on how to respond to the investigation. She reportedly suggested that L file the harassment report as a way to pressure both sides into a fair investigation.
Min Hee Jin allegedly even coached L on when to use sick leave to delay the re-investigation of a separate harassment claim filed by an employee named A against L.
As tensions rose, A, the alleged victim of workplace harassment, began questioning the fairness of the investigation, especially after learning that Min Hee Jin had been involved in coaching L.
A went so far as to request a re-investigation in August 2023, accusing Min Hee Jin of manipulating the process. Min Hee Jin’s alleged interference is now a key focus in the ongoing legal battle.
While Min Hee Jin and her PR team have yet to comment on the matter, this latest development only adds to the public scrutiny of her role in the drama.
Meanwhile, A has taken legal action, filing a lawsuit against Min Hee Jin for violating labor laws and personal privacy. The battle is now moving to formal court proceedings, where the future of both Min Hee Jin and the management of ADOR could be at stake.
As the dust settles, HYBE may have been cleared of the harassment charges, but the tangled web of legal drama involving Min Hee Jin is far from over. Stay tuned for more updates on this high-profile case as it continues to unfold.
Source: [1]
