HYBE's HR chief Kim Ju-young appointed to replace Min Hee-jin as ADOR CEO

"ADOR held a board meeting on Tuesday and appointed Kim Ju-young, a member of ADOR's board of directors, as the new CEO," the company said in a press release.

Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR at left, and incoming CEO Kim Ju-young [ADOR]

Min Hee-jin will step down as the CEO of girl group NewJeans' agency ADOR, the agency said Tuesday.

"ADOR held a board meeting on Tuesday and appointed Kim Ju-young, a member of ADOR's board of directors, as the new CEO," the company said in a press release.

Min will stay on board as an ADOR staff member and keep her position on the company's board of directors. She will also continue producing music for NewJeans, according to ADOR.

ADOR will start separating the production and management sectors within the company starting with its new leadership, the company said. Min was in charge of both management of the company and the production of its girl group NewJeans "as the only exception among all the HYBE labels," according to ADOR.

Min Hee-jin, CEO of girl group NewJeans' agency ADOR, at the Yongsan Police Station on July 9 in central Seoul [NEWS1]

The new CEO Kim is the chief HR officer of HYBE. She formerly served as the head of the HR department at game publisher Krafton and household goods manufacturer Yuhan-Kimberly until she joined HYBE in May 2022.

"We promise to provide the best support for the success of NewJeans with this change in structure," ADOR said.

The news comes amid an ongoing legal battle between Min and HYBE's executives and subsidiaries.

Min reported five HYBE executives to police for defamation and for leaking her private messages to the press. Min has been reported by Belift Lab and Source Music — agencies of girl groups ILLIT and Le Sserafim — for defamation and obstruction of business.

HYBE said last month it would countersue Min for false accusation. It has not made the police report yet but "plans remain unchanged," according to a HYBE official.

HYBE also underwent a change in leadership last month after former CEO Park Ji-won stepped down and was replaced by Lee Jae-sang, the former chief strategy officer of HYBE. Lee also sits as a member of ADOR's board of directors along with Min, Kim and Chief Financial Officer Lee Kyung-jun.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]