Ministry of Employment Criticizes HYBE Over 'NewJeans Workplace Bullying Controversy,' Urges for "Horizontal Communication" Evaluation HYBE Selected as 'Top Job Creation Company' in September
Rep. Park Hong Bae: "HYBE's selection must be immediately revoked"
NewJeans member Hanni, who is at the center of the bullying controversy within the entertainment agency HYBE, is set to appear as a witness at the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee audit on the 15th. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s decision to designate HYBE as the '2024 Korea Top Job Creation Company' last month is expected to be scrutinized during the audit. The ministry had praised HYBE for promoting "horizontal communication," but this evaluation now appears contradictory in light of the bullying allegations surrounding NewJeans.
According to the report submitted by Rep. Park Hong Bae of the Democratic Party on the 14th, the Ministry of Employment listed "building a safe and enjoyable working environment" as one of HYBE’s achievements during the evaluation. Specific details included the agency’s "promotion of horizontal communication (establishing a culture of addressing each other as 'nim' regardless of position)" and "101 meeting culture (encouraging open, one-on-one conversations)." The report also mentioned HYBE Chairman Bang Si Hyuk’s recognition as one of Billboard’s "Most Influential People in the Global Music Industry."
HYBE was selected through a public recommendation process, followed by a site inspection conducted by the Seoul Western Employment and Labor Office. Being designated as a top job creation company provides benefits such as deferred customs and local tax investigations and preferential credit evaluations. However, the Ministry of Employment reserves the right to revoke the designation if the company causes public controversy or faces lawsuits or media scrutiny.
Rep. Park Hong Bae stated, "This HYBE scandal highlights how large entertainment companies have betrayed the public and trampled on the human rights of their most valuable assets, the artists. Given the clear evidence of workplace bullying cover-up, HYBE’s selection as a top job creation company should be immediately revoked."
Earlier, NewJeans member Hani claimed that a manager from Belift Lab (a HYBE subsidiary label) told someone to "ignore her" and alleged that she was being bullied within the agency. However, Belift Lab refuted this claim, stating that CCTV footage and interviews with the involved parties revealed that the accusation was not true.
As the controversy grows, Hani has been selected as a reference witness for the National Assembly’s audit on idol bullying and workplace harassment on the 15th. Hani recently announced her intention to attend the audit through the fan communication app 'Phoning.' Kim Ju Young, the CEO of NewJeans' label ADOR, will also appear alongside Hanni at the National Assembly hearing.
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