The National Pension Service was unexpectedly overwhelmed with protest calls following the reported departure of Heeseung from ENHYPEN, as the group is under a label linked to a company the pension fund has invested in.
On March 18, NPS Chairman Kim Sung-joo shared a post on social media titled “Why the National Pension Service’s international center was paralyzed,” explaining the unusual situation.
He revealed that the International Pension Support Center suddenly received a flood of overseas calls last week, temporarily disrupting operations. In addition, around 1,500 emails reportedly poured in within just two hours.
According to Kim, the surge was triggered after posts circulated among international fans encouraging people to file complaints with the NPS, as it is a major shareholder of HYBE, which oversees the label managing ENHYPEN.
He clarified that the International Support Center is responsible for assisting foreign workers in Korea and Koreans working abroad with pension-related services. Due to the sudden influx of calls, individuals seeking legitimate pension consultations experienced significant inconvenience.
Kim Sung-joo emphasized that while the NPS invests in numerous companies across more than 80 countries, it does not interfere in the management or personnel decisions of those companies. He added that this naturally includes decisions related to the formation or membership of K-pop groups.
Previously, ENHYPEN’s agency Belift Lab announced on March 10 that Heeseung would be leaving the group. The unexpected news sparked backlash from some fans, who demanded a reversal of the decision.
As the controversy grew, segments of the international fandom escalated their response by directing protests toward the NPS, further intensifying the situation and drawing attention to the broader issue.
Sources: Daum
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