Hanni of NewJeans answers lawmakers' questions on workplace bullying at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Oct. 15. Yonhap

Ador, the agency managing NewJeans, has officially stepped into the ongoing conflict surrounding member Hanni and Belift Lab, demanding a public apology.

After maintaining silence despite the contrasting claims and tensions between Hanni and Belift Lab, Ador broke its quiet stance on Wednesday with a detailed statement shared via its official social media channels.

Belift Lab, a subsidiary of HYBE Labels and the management agency for girl group ILLIT, has denied allegations of workplace bullying brought forward recently by members of NewJeans.

“Belift Lab previously released a statement via social media regarding the alleged ‘ignore' comment directed at Hanni," Ador said in a statement. "While Ador has taken a cautious approach to avoid unnecessary disputes that could escalate into controversies for our artist, we now feel compelled to clarify our position as the matter remains unresolved.”

The agency emphasized its support for Hanni, saying, “Belift Lab's claims differ completely from Hanni's account. Hanni clearly recalls that on May 27, a Belift Lab staff member made remarks along the lines of ‘ignore her' or ‘just pass her by.' Expecting Hanni to recall every detail of the incident that occurred in a brief moment is unfair and imposes an excessively harsh standard on the victim.”

Ador added, “We fully trust our artist's words and deeply regret the harm Hanni has experienced. We urge Belift Lab to approach this matter with respect and to demonstrate sincerity to ensure this issue does not continue to cause unnecessary controversy.”

This statement comes as tensions between Ador and NewJeans escalate. Earlier, NewJeans sent Ador a legal notice demanding corrective actions, threatening to terminate their contract if unresolved.

The deadline for Ador's response is Nov. 28, and this latest statement appears to address one of the issues raised in NewJeans' demands.

NewJeans has outlined several grievances with Ador, demanding swift action. Key issues include HYBE's alleged disregard for the group, highlighted by comments such as “just scrap NewJeans and start fresh,” and accusations that the PR head downplayed their achievements, undervaluing their success.

The group also seeks the removal of unauthorized trainee-era photos and videos still publicly accessible, as well as measures to ensure their creative work isn't undermined by internal competition.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.