Police have cleared Min Hee Jin, the former CEO of ADOR, of all breach of trust charges filed by HYBE last year.
On July 15, Min’s side confirmed that after more than a year of investigation, police found no wrongdoing and decided not to prosecute.
As a result of the police investigation that lasted over a year into former CEO Min, who was accused of breach of trust by HYBE in April 2025, it was concluded that there was no illegality in her actions related to these charges.
Both cases filed by HYBE were decided not to be sent for prosecution and were closed as ‘not guilty.’
HYBE had accused Min in April 2024 of trying to seize control of its subsidiary ADOR by using internal information and encouraging NewJeans’ parents to send complaint emails. Min denied the accusations, “Given the shareholding structure, it is impossible to usurp management rights.”
On April 26, 2024, HYBE officially filed the complaint with the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul. At the time, Min Hee Jin appeared for questioning at the station, where she spoke with police for about eight hours.
Afterward, she told reporters she wanted to clear things up because the claims made no sense, calling the allegations “comical” and insisting she only told the truth.
HYBE also tried to remove Min and ADOR’s board by raising the dismissal as an agenda item at an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting. She responded by filing for an injunction to stop HYBE from using its voting rights at the meeting. On May 30, 2024, the Seoul Central District Court sided with Hee Jin and granted the injunction, ruling that HYBE’s reasons for dismissal were not convincing enough.
The court acknowledged that the former ADOR CEO sought ways to reduce HYBE’s control over ADOR by leveraging NewJeans’ position. However, there was no proof she took illegal actions to do so. The court noted her actions could be seen as betrayal toward HYBE but did not amount to a breach of trust against ADOR itself. It also said that removing Min would cause harm that money could not fix afterward.
Later, Min Hee Jin was removed as ADOR CEO in August 2024, and stepped down as internal director in November last year. She cut all ties with HYBE and ADOR last year after resigning as an internal director and refusing to accept the 5-year production contract for NewJeans.
Meanwhile, the wider conflict continues to affect NewJeans directly. In March 2025, ADOR won an injunction that blocked NewJeans, who now go by NJZ, from signing independent deals or promoting without ADOR’s approval. On April 30, 2025, the High Court upheld this order after NewJeans appealed.
By June 2025, NJZ missed the final appeal deadline, which confirmed ADOR’s exclusive rights to manage the group. The third hearing for ADOR’s lawsuit confirming the validity of NewJeans’ exclusive contract is scheduled for July 24.
The legal battle has forced NJZ into a hiatus and cost them major brand deals, including contracts with Pepero, Nike, Celine, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel.
As of now, HYBE is still pursuing a separate court case to terminate its shareholder agreement with Min. That hearing is set for September 11, 2025. She is also embroiled in multiple defamation lawsuits by HYBE’s sub-labels, SOURCE MUSIC (LE SSERAFIM) and BELIFT LAB (ILLIT, ENHYPEN).
While Min Hee Jin has been cleared of criminal charges, her battle with HYBE over ADOR and NewJeans’ future is far from over.
