Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin has reportedly suffered a significant setback in her ongoing legal battle with HYBE after prosecutors dismissed all criminal complaints she filed against HYBE and BELIFT LAB executives.
According to reports, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office decided not to indict the executives named in Min’s complaints, effectively upholding earlier police findings that no criminal wrongdoing had occurred.
One of the most closely watched aspects of the dispute involved allegations surrounding so-called “shaman management.” Min Hee-jin had argued that statements released by HYBE regarding her alleged consultations with a shaman were false and defamatory. However, prosecutors reportedly concluded that HYBE’s statements could not be considered false. During the investigation, authorities confirmed the existence of KakaoTalk conversations in which Min Hee-jin discussed ADOR-related management issues with a shaman.
While prosecutors reportedly acknowledged that the phrase “shaman management” may have been exaggerated, they determined that it did not constitute the dissemination of false information required for a criminal defamation charge.
Prosecutors also dismissed allegations that HYBE illegally accessed emails and messenger accounts belonging to Min Hee-jin and her associates. According to the reported findings, investigators viewed HYBE’s actions as part of a lawful internal audit process. The decision was reportedly based on security agreements and privacy consent documents signed during employment. Investigators also found that former ADOR Vice CEO Lee Sang-woo voluntarily provided his password, further weakening allegations of unauthorized access. As a result, claims that HYBE engaged in illegal surveillance were not accepted.
Another key dispute centered on Min Hee-jin’s accusation that ILLIT copied NewJeans. Prosecutors reportedly referenced an earlier court ruling that found certain similarities between the groups but stopped short of concluding that one was a copy of the other. Based on that reasoning, BELIFT LAB’s public statement asserting that ILLIT had not copied NewJeans was deemed an expression of opinion rather than a defamatory statement. Consequently, prosecutors found no basis for criminal charges against BELIFT LAB executives.
The latest decision follows an earlier police investigation that had already concluded there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges against HYBE and BELIFT LAB executives.
Min Hee-jin challenged that outcome and requested a review of the case, but prosecutors ultimately reached the same conclusion after conducting supplementary investigations. As a result, the criminal cases filed by Min Hee-jin have effectively ended with non-indictment decisions across the board.
Despite the outcome of the criminal complaints, the broader legal battle between Min Hee-jin and HYBE remains unresolved. A separate civil lawsuit involving approximately ₩25.5 billion (around $18 million) in put-option rights is still ongoing. Unlike the criminal cases, the central issue in the civil dispute is whether either party violated the terms of their shareholder agreement.
Earlier this year, a court ruled in Min Hee-jin’s favor in the first trial of the put-option lawsuit, determining that HYBE had not established sufficient grounds to terminate the agreement based on her conduct.
The prosecution’s decision is expected to become a major point of contention in the ongoing appeal related to the put-option case.
HYBE is likely to argue that the findings support its position that Min Hee-jin engaged in conduct that undermined trust between the parties. Meanwhile, Min’s side is expected to maintain that the contractual obligations regarding the put-option agreement remain valid regardless of the criminal investigation’s outcome.
For now, while HYBE appears to have secured a decisive victory in the criminal proceedings, the final chapter of the dispute will likely depend on the outcome of the ongoing civil litigation involving hundreds of millions of dollars in shareholder rights and compensation.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스
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