SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) -South Korea's police have cleared former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin of breach of trust allegations filed by HYBE, the parent company behind K-pop girl group NewJeans. The Yongsan Police Station said Tuesday that after more than a year of investigation, the case would not be forwarded to prosecutors.
HYBE filed the complaint in April 2024, accusing Min of attempting to take control of ADOR by colluding with outside investors and bypassing the internal decision-making process. At the time, HYBE held an 80 percent stake in the label, which Min had led since its launch.
Min's legal team welcomed the police decision, stating, "After more than a year of investigation, police have found no grounds for criminal suspicion. Both the breach of trust and embezzlement allegations have been dismissed."
HYBE responded that it would formally appeal the decision. The company pointed to a recent ruling by the Seoul High Court which stated that Min had “intentionally destroyed the integrated structure that was the premise of the exclusive contract,” referring to the internal governance and contractual foundation of ADOR and NewJeans.
The legal dispute began with HYBE’s audit of ADOR in early 2024, which quickly escalated into a public power struggle between the two sides. Following the fallout, the five members of NewJeans attempted to terminate their contracts and began operating under the name "NJZ." The move was not authorized by ADOR.
In June 2025, the Seoul High Court issued an injunction in favor of ADOR, blocking the members from promoting independently or using the NJZ name. The court reaffirmed that the group remains legally bound to ADOR and imposed penalties of up to one billion won, about $725,000, per violation.
Although the police decision relieves Min of criminal responsibility, HYBE maintains that her actions caused structural harm to the company and continues to seek further legal review. The company says the police ruling does not reflect more recent developments that have come to light during civil proceedings.
Park Sae-jin Reporter swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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