Girl group Madein's agency, 143 Entertainment, denied accusations that its CEO sexually assaulted one of the group's members, following a JTBC report made on Friday.

JTBC's investigative program "Crime Chief" (2014-) reported Friday that the CEO of a K-pop agency, home to a newly-debuted girl group, "touched and kissed" one of the group's members against her will.


The CEO "asked her to be his one-day girlfriend" and touched her body for two hours even though she refused, according to the JTBC report. The report added that the member is taking a break "due to health issues."

The names of the girl group, agency and CEO were not revealed on Friday, but online users began speculating that the report was about Madein and its agency 143 Entertainment.

The agency made a rebuttal on Saturday.

"There was no sexual harassment or sexual contact of any kind between the member and the CEO mentioned in the TV program," 143 Entertainment wrote on Madein's official X account on Saturday.

"We emphasize that the content of the report is untrue. The report is false."

Madein debuted on Sept. 3 under 143 Entertainment, which was founded by Lee Yong-hak. The CEO is Park Jun-sang.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]