A former member of a girl group has filed a police complaint against the CEO of her management agency, alleging inappropriate physical contact.

The Hanbit Media Labor Rights Center held a press conference in Jung District, central Seoul, on Tuesday, revealing that a former girl group member filed a complaint earlier this month at the Gangnam Police Precinct.

Lee Yong-hak, the CEO of 143 Entertainment, is accused of indecent assault in violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Abuse.

According to the Hanbit Center, Lee allegedly called the plaintiff into his office in October last year and subjected her to about three hours of verbal abuse and threats. During that time, he allegedly engaged in inappropriate physical contact.

Lee had raised issues about an incident that occurred about three weeks earlier, during the group's concert in Japan. Lee reportedly criticized the plaintiff and another member for meeting with other individuals, including a man, inside their accommodation. However, the plaintiff maintains that she met those individuals for the first time that day.

At the press conference, the Hanbit Center presented a handwritten statement prepared by Lee the day after the alleged incident. In the document, Lee wrote that he sincerely apologizes for the sexual harassment against the specific former member.

"Regardless of my legal title as CEO, I will take responsibility to ensure that [the former member] faces no disadvantage and will give her priority rights in contract extensions and other contractual matters,” the statement also reads.

The Hanbit Center claimed that despite the incident, the plaintiff and Lee continued to stay in contact though Lee later retracted his earlier admission of wrongdoing.

The plaintiff left the group last November.

While 143 Entertainment maintains that its exclusive contract with the plaintiff remains valid, the plaintiff has formally notified the agency of her intent to terminate the agreement, citing a loss of trust following the alleged assault.

"In the end, my child crumbled under stress,” the plaintiff’s mother said during the press conference. “Every day felt like hell, and I could not leave her side even for a moment. My heart was torn apart with guilt for failing to protect her, and my life collapsed too."

The Hanbit Center announced plans to demand a formal apology from 143 Entertainment and the termination of the plaintiff’s exclusive contract, while also calling on investigative authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation.

143 Entertainment followed with a statement the same day, saying that there are “factual discrepancies” regarding the plaintiff’s allegations, adding that it was “regretful that the plaintiff demanded a large settlement based solely on one-sided claims and then filed a criminal lawsuit when the settlement was refused.”

"We are sorry that the CEO of a management company has become embroiled in such controversy," the statement reads. "There are many discrepancies between the member’s claims and the facts. As a police investigation is underway, we will actively cooperate and work to correct any distortions based on objective evidence."

Lee founded 143 Entertainment in 2020. The agency currently manages girl group Madein, formerly known as Limelight, and boy band iKON.


Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]