NewJeans’ agency ADOR is facing allegations of leaking personal information regarding member Hani’s visa status.
Cultural critic Kim Sung-soo held a press conference outside the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul on Tuesday morning, announcing that he has filed a complaint against ADOR and its employees for violating the Personal Information Protection Act.
Kim alleges that ADOR disclosed Hani’s visa information to a journalist without consent, information they had obtained through their professional capacity.
Hani, who holds dual citizenship in Australia and Vietnam, requires an E-6 visa to stay and work in South Korea.
The controversy began in early February last year when a media outlet reported that ADOR had prepared all necessary documents for a visa extension, but Hani allegedly refused to sign. This sparked rumors of her potential illegal stay, as her visa was reportedly set to expire around that time.
The speculation was eventually put to rest when it was revealed that Hani had successfully obtained a new visa.
Kim claims that ADOR employees leaked specific details about Hani’s visa extension process to the media.
He argued that information about a foreigner’s visa expiration and the progress of their extension application is strictly confidential, known only to immigration authorities, the individual, and their representing agency. It’s puzzling how such sensitive internal information could have been leaked to the public under the guise of multiple music industry insiders when even journalists couldn’t access it through normal reporting channels.
The complaint also includes a statement released by the parents of NewJeans members on February 12 of last year as supporting evidence.
In their statement, the parents accused ADOR of exerting pressure by demanding signatures on extension consent forms that listed ADOR as the agency, warning that refusal could lead to illegal residency. They expressed deep concern over the irresponsible dissemination of this sensitive visa information through the media, emphasizing that only ADOR had access to such personal details of the current members.