[Sportschosun Reporter Kim Jun-seok] ADOR, the agency of the group NewJeans, has been reported to police over allegations that it leaked member Hanni's visa-related personal information to outsiders.
On the 28th, pop culture critic Kim Seong-su held a press conference in front of Yongsan Police Station in Seoul and said he had filed a complaint against ADOR and its employees on charges of violating the Personal Information Protection Act.
In the complaint, Kim alleged that ADOR provided a reporter with Hanni's visa type, expiration date, and visa processing status, all of which it obtained through its work, without Hanni's consent.
He said the information was difficult to know for anyone other than Hanni, immigration authorities, and agency staff in charge of the matter, yet it was disclosed through media reports between December last year and February this year. He urged investigators to determine how the internal information was passed on to outsiders.
Hanni, who holds dual citizenship in Australia and Vietnam, is staying in Korea on an arts and entertainment (E-6) visa so she can carry out entertainment activities there. Such visas are typically renewed by the agency on a yearly basis.
Earlier, rumors of illegal stay surfaced after reports said ADOR had prepared documents to extend Hanni's visa, but Hanni's side refused them.
In response, the parents of NewJeans members, who were then continuing their contract dispute with ADOR, issued an official statement saying, "Hanni is staying in Korea after receiving a new visa through proper procedures."
They also expressed concern, saying that the very fact that sensitive personal information such as visa processing status had been made public was a serious infringement of rights.
Kim also argued, "The expiration date of Hanni's visa and the status of her extension application are information that is difficult to know for anyone other than immigration authorities, Hanni, and her agency," adding, "The route by which it was passed on to a third party must be clearly identified."
Police plan to verify the facts after receiving the complaint and then decide whether to launch an investigation.
narusi@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
