Labor ministry rules out workplace bullying in NewJeans Hanni case

[Anchor]

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has launched an investigation following allegations that Hanni from the group NewJeans was subjected to bullying by her agency.

The ministry determined that Hanni, as a celebrity, is not considered an employee under the Labor Standards Act, and therefore, 'workplace bullying' does not apply.

Reporter Choi Yoo-kyung has the details.

[Report]

The girl group NewJeans raised allegations of 'bullying within the company' through YouTube in September.

[Hanni/NewJeans member/Sept./YouTube broadcast: "I could hear and see everything, and the manager said 'Ignore it.'"]

Fans who watched the broadcast demanded an investigation from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, questioning whether it constituted 'workplace bullying,' and the controversy even reached the National Assembly's audit session.

[Hanni/NewJeans member/Oct. 15/National Assembly audit: "They said 'There's nothing we can do because there's no evidence...'"]

[Kim Joo-young/Adore CEO/Oct. 15/National Assembly audit: "There are conflicting claims between the parties involved."]

The local office of the ministry that reviewed the complaint concluded the case after about two months.

After examining the exclusive contract and other documents, it was determined that Hanni is not an 'employee' but an equal 'contracting party' with the company, thus 'workplace bullying' does not apply.

It was also pointed out that Hanni was able to freely express her opinions regarding her activities and was not subject to company rules such as employment regulations.

Regarding the income Hanni received, it was argued that it is more of a profit-sharing nature rather than compensation for labor, as evidenced by her paying business income tax instead of income tax.

However, there are also calls to more broadly recognize the employee status, as it takes considerable time for a contractual relationship to become genuinely equal with the company.

[Kim Jong-jin/Director of Korea Worker Institute: "I believe we need to consider how to apply the law to freelancers and artists. At least regarding workplace bullying, we should take a more progressive approach..."]

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that it will conduct a survey on the bullying situation faced by artists in consultation with relevant departments.

This is KBS News, Choi Yoo-kyung.