Song Young-sook, the spouse of the late founder Im Sung-ki of the Hanmi group, issued an official apology over a sexual misconduct case involving an executive that occurred late last year.
On the 5th, Song said in a statement, "As a member of the founder's family and a major shareholder of Hanmi, I feel a heavy sense of responsibility for failing to prevent the current situation," adding, "I extend my deepest apology to the person harmed by the sexual misconduct case and to all Hanmi employees who must have felt great disappointment."
As controversy grows over Shin Dong-kuk, chair of Hanyang Precision Co. and the largest shareholder of holding company Hanmi Science, allegedly shielding an executive accused of sexual harassment, employees have recently been staging protests inside the company.
Regarding this, Song said, "Watching you, our employees, bravely continue your daily picket protests, I feel devastated that my determination and promise to be a sturdy fence in your lives seem not to have been fully kept."
Song said, "If anyone, regardless of position, committed inappropriate conduct, it is only right to offer a corresponding apology and show a responsible attitude," adding, "Only through sincere remorse and reflection can we move forward again on a path of unity."
She also stressed her determination to uphold the principle of a "professional management-centered system."
Song said, "In the process of settling the dispute, the 'advanced professional management system' we promised to all customers and shareholders is a principle to respect the roles and authority of professional managers and to guarantee their independence," adding, "Rather than intervening directly in management, major shareholders should present and support a sound direction, and professional managers, under the authority and responsibility granted to them, should lead the company—that is the desirable path Hanmi should pursue."
She added, "The late founder Im Sung-ki also repeatedly emphasized that the next generation of Hanmi's management should be centered on professional managers, and that major shareholders should support this through the board, moving toward an advanced governance structure."
She also called for institutional improvements to prevent a recurrence. Song said, "So that this never happens again, I ask the professional managers of each company to further refine related systems and internal control mechanisms in a fairer and more transparent way."
She also aimed remarks at Shin Dong-kuk, the individual largest shareholder and chair of Hanyang Precision Co.
Song emphasized, "Hanmi is not a corporations that a single individual can run with full authority," adding, "The core driving force leading Hanmi is the united spirit of all employees, and at the center of that spirit lies the 'Im Sung-ki spirit.'" She added, "As group chair, I will also hold the center so that Hanmi's human respect philosophy does not waver, and I will help the company regain trust."
Song's remarks are seen as effectively expressing support for Park Jae-hyun, CEO of Hanmi Pharmaceutical. Park's term ends on the 29th. Whether the term will be extended will be decided at the regular shareholders meeting.
Shin Dong-kuk, chair, is a junior from the same hometown as the late Hanmi Pharmaceutical founder Im Sung-ki. In 2024, joining hands with Im's wife, Chair Song Young-sook, and Vice Chair Im Ju-hyun, the mother-daughter pair, he promised a professional management system and helped close the family management control dispute. However, controversy followed as claims emerged that Shin, contrary to the promise, was excessively intervening in overall management.
In particular, over the handling of an executive's sexual harassment case that occurred late last year, when CEO Park pushed for heavy disciplinary action against the executive identified as the assailant, claims arose that Shin blocked it. Park presented a transcript of a meeting with Shin as evidence.
Shin countered, saying, "That is not true," and claimed, "CEO Park asked for another term." Park refuted again and issued an open inquiry to Shin. Shin's side has not stated a position on this.
On the last month, Shin expanded his equity by buying 6.45% of Hanmi Science in an over-the-counter purchase. In particular, it emerged that he conducted a transaction with the side of the founder's eldest son, Im Jong-yoon, co-CEO of Beijing Hanmi, who has been at odds with the mother-daughter pair, leading the market to interpret that Shin had broken his united front with them and reignited the management control dispute. However, at a press briefing, Shin dismissed this, saying, "It is not a management control dispute."