South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor has officially dismissed claims of workplace bullying involving NewJeans’ Hanni, citing that she does not meet the legal definition of an employee under Korean labor law.
On November 20th, the Seoul Seobu District Office of Employment and Labor released its findings regarding a petition filed by NewJeans fans. The petition alleged that Hanni was subjected to harassment while working under HYBE. In response, the Labor Office concluded, “Hanni does not qualify as an employee under the Labor Standards Act. As a result, the petition has been administratively closed.”
The Seoul Seobu District Office explained its reasoning: “The nature of Hanni’s management contract indicates that she does not provide labor for wages under a subordinate relationship. Instead, the relationship is one of equal contracting parties fulfilling their respective obligations. There is no evidence of employer oversight or control.”
Key factors supporting their decision included: The artist is not subject to the same company rules, policies, or employment systems that apply to regular employees; She does not follow set working hours or a fixed location for her activities, nor does she clock in or out; Costs related to her entertainment activities are jointly shared between Hanni and the company.
Additionally, the office referenced a 2019 Supreme Court ruling, which stated that exclusive contracts between entertainers and agencies fall under civil delegation agreements or similar unnamed contracts, further emphasizing that Hanni does not meet the legal criteria of an employee.
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