Director of Employment Policy Responds: “No Defects Found” in HYBE’s ‘Top Job Creation Company’ Selection Amid NewJeans Controversy

On October 16, 2024, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that there were no identified issues with HYBE in its designation as a ‘Top Job Creation Company’. According to a report from the South Korean publication Kyunghyang Shinmun, the Ministry acknowledged that a complaint had been lodged against HYBE amid ongoing controversies surrounding the group NewJeans.

Diving into the details, during the National Assembly audit on October 15, Hanni from NewJeans was called as a witness relating to allegations of workplace bullying. NewJeans, a rookie girl group managed by ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE, has been at the center of these allegations. Hanni alleged that a manager from another subsidiary showed her poor treatment.

In a YouTube livestream dated September 11, Hanni mentioned overhearing a manager from a different idol group instructing other artists to “ignore”her. This assertion prompted Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Park Hong-bae to interrogate Lee Jeong-han, the employment policy director at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, about the decision to recognize HYBE as the “Top Job Creation Company”.

Director Lee Jeong-han affirmed that the process leading to HYBE’s selection among the top 100 companies for job creation was conducted fairly. The accolade was conferred in September 2023. He stated:

“We examined multiple factors, including public recommendations, employee turnover rates, and provisions for work-life balance. Following an on-site review and assessments of labor-management relationships, the evaluation committee — composed of private specialists — found no irregularities, leading to our fair decision.”

At the Assembly Audit, Park Hong-bae pressed for clarity on workplace culture allegations raised by Hanni from NewJeans

Lawmaker Park Hong-bae of the Democratic Party of Korea raised concerns related to the September 2024 visit of South Korean First Lady Kim Kun-hee and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s spouse, Yuko, to HYBE, questioning whether this had influenced the Ministry’s decision to honor the company with the ‘Top Job Creation Company’ title.

In response, Director Lee Jeong-han vowed that all evaluation criteria were adhered to rigorously prior to awarding this status to HYBE.

During the National Assembly audit, Park Hong-bae continued to emphasize the complaints against the company in light of Hanni’s accusations. Kim Yoo-jin, the director of the Labor Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, responded by stating:

“We have received this complaint and local government authorities are currently assessing the details. There are complex realities that may complicate the enforcement of the Labor Standards Act.”

Hanni from NewJeans also expressed feeling subjected to systematic discrimination and mistreatment by HYBE at the audit, declaring:

“I recognize that if I stay silent, this matter will fade into obscurity. I stepped forward to prevent this from happening to anyone else in the industry — be it seniors, juniors, or fellow trainees.”

Additionally, the newly appointed CEO of ADOR, Kim Joo-young, was present during the National Assembly audit. Hanni recounted that she had raised her concerns with Kim Joo-young, but was dismissed by him.

Kim Joo-young noted that the incident Hanni reported occurred on May 27, 2024, and the review of CCTV footage took place in late June. Unfortunately, due to the footage being stored for only 30 days, it had already been deleted.

During the National Assembly audit, the Industrial Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Employment and Labor confirmed they would thoroughly investigate the complaints and examine HYBE’s workplace environment to ensure the protection of artists.

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