Min Hee-jin leaves police station after 8-hour questioning, 'glad to tell the truth'

Social Affairs

Published: 10 Jul. 2024, 09:31 Updated: 10 Jul. 2024, 09:46

Min Hee-jin leaves police station after 8-hour questioning, 'glad to tell the truth'

Min Hee-jin, CEO of girl group NewJeans' agency ADOR, answers questions from reporters after finishing the first session of questioning at the Yongsan Police Station, central Seoul, at around 10 p.m. on July 9. [NEWS1]

ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin told reporters she was "glad to tell the truth" as she left the Yongsan Police Station after eight hours of questioning Tuesday night.

According to media reports, Min left the police station in central Seoul at around 10 p.m., eight hours after the first session of the questioning began at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

She had been reported for breach of trust by HYBE, the company that owns ADOR, in April.

"I told the truth," Min told reporters. "My questioning wasn't supposed to take place today but I requested that I be questioned today because I wanted to. I'm glad to tell the truth and let it all out."

"There was a lot that I wanted to say," she said when asked why the questioning took eight hours. "HYBE reported me and it took me time [to explain]."

When asked whether she denied the breach of trust charges to police, she said: "Of course."

Min Hee-jin, CEO of girl group NewJeans' agency ADOR, leaves the Yongsan Police Station, central Seoul, at around 10 p.m. on July 9. [YONHAP]

"It couldn't have been breach of trust. It just seems like comedy to me. So I told them everything truthfully," she said.

Min declined to comment when asked whether she reported HYBE or HYBE executives for defamation or other charges as she had warned through past press releases. She will, however, hand in additional data to the police, she said.

HYBE accused Min of trying to get a third-party investor involved to gain control over girl group NewJeans' agency ADOR. The company started an internal audit against ADOR on April 22 and reported Min to police on April 25.

Min fought back by holding a press conference on April 25, where she claimed that HYBE had been mistreating herself and NewJeans members even before the quintet's debut. Min argued that she was being retaliated for an internal report she made against HYBE and that HYBE had used NewJeans' concept and ideas to debut girl group ILLIT without her permission.

Belift Lab, the agency of ILLIT owned by HYBE, also reported Min to police on May 22 for defamation for calling ILLIT "a NewJeans copycat."

Min called a truce with HYBE during the second press conference she held on the afternoon of May 31, after it was decided earlier the same day at ADOR's shareholders meeting that she would stay on as the CEO of NewJeans' agency.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]