Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin speaks during a press conference in Jung District, Seoul, May 31. Yonhap

Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin officially announced her resignation as the label's internal director, Wednesday, marking her complete departure from HYBE Labels amid an escalating legal battle.

"Today, I am resigning as an internal director of Ador," Min said in a statement. "I am going to terminate the shareholders' agreement with HYBE and will hold the company legally accountable for breaches of the agreement. I also plan to take all necessary legal actions against the numerous unlawful acts committed by HYBE and its affiliates."

The resignation comes after months of conflict between Min and HYBE, starting in April when the entertainment giant accused her and Ador's management of embezzlement and attempting to seize control of the label. In response, Min claimed the dispute revolved around allegations that NewJeans, a group under Ador, had its concept plagiarized by another HYBE subsidiary.

HYBE then removed Min from her CEO position on Aug. 27, later retaining her as an internal director. On Oct. 30, the Ador board of directors ultimately rejected a proposal to reinstate Min as CEO.

"For over seven months, I have endured a nightmarish dispute with HYBE, which began with their illegal audit in April," Min stated. "I have made every effort to honor the shareholders' agreement and restore Ador to its former state before April. However, HYBE's refusal to acknowledge their wrongdoing and their unyielding stance left me no choice but to conclude that further efforts would be a waste of time."

K-pop girl group NewJeans / Courtesy of Ador

Min also disclosed that she had sent two whistleblowing emails to HYBE in April, attempting to expose internal misconduct and protect NewJeans.

"I wanted HYBE to recognize its faults and worked tirelessly to shield NewJeans from the company's corruption," she said. She accused HYBE of framing her as a power-hungry executive in what she described as a "witch hunt," adding, "Their actions were ignorant and irrational, unbefitting a corporation of HYBE's size."

Min further alleged that HYBE had always been aware of the truth behind her whistleblowing but chose to ignore it in favor of profits and self-interest.

"The atrocities HYBE committed in 2024 will go down in K-pop history as unprecedented," she said. "This saga is not over, but I am deeply grateful to Bunnies (NewJeans' official fandom) and others who supported me through these past six months. I hope you'll continue to follow the new K-pop journey I plan to embark on."

Earlier this month, NewJeans intensified the standoff by sending a legal notice demanding Min's reinstatement as Ador CEO. The five NewJeans members warned of terminating their contracts if HYBE failed to comply, setting a 14-day deadline for the company to address the alleged violations.

This resignation announcement by Min's side has further fueled speculation that NewJeans may ultimately pursue contract termination and sever ties with HYBE.