The group NewJeans and their agency ADOR continue their exclusive contract dispute, and under the court's mediation procedure they face a second mediation hearing today (11th).
11th afternoon at the Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 41 (presiding Judge Jeong Hoe-il, Director General) a second mediation hearing will be held in the lawsuit filed by ADOR seeking confirmation of the validity of the exclusive contract against NewJeans.
At the earlier trial hearing the bench encouraged mediation, saying "the people who actually have the authority should appear," requested the members' attendance, and at the mediation hearing held last month members Minji and Danielle attended and a private mediation was conducted.
Until now NewJeans members said "trust with ADOR has completely broken down" and refused the court's request for agreement, but at a recent trial they said they have a willingness to reach an agreement and mediate based on the demand to return to ADOR "as it was before former CEO Min Hee-jin's audit is carried out."
However, what result the two sides reached at the first mediation hearing has not been disclosed. The two sides held a face-to-face private mediation for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, and the members left the court without giving any particular response to reporters' questions.
In this situation attention is focused on what result the two sides will face at the second mediation hearing held today (11th). If mediation fails again today, the bench is expected to deliver the first-instance verdict on Oct. 30.
Meanwhile, NewJeans are currently on hiatus. In March the Seoul Central District Court granted ADOR's provisional injunction against the five NewJeans members, blocking NewJeans' independent activities. The members immediately protested and filed an objection, but the court dismissed it. The members' appeals also failed.
In addition, under indirect enforcement if the members continue entertainment activities independently without ADOR they must pay ADOR 1 billion won per violation. If they proceed with independent activities as NewJeans they would pay ADOR a total of 5 billion won.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]