[Dispatch=Reporter Park Hye-jin] L, former vice president of Ador and a close associate of former Hybe CEO Minhee Jin, has been indicted on charges of unauthorized downloading of confidential files including Hybe's financial and accounting materials.

The Anyang District Office of the Suwon District Public Prosecutors' Office issued a summary indictment against L on the 15th for violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (information and communications network breach). It sought a fine of 5 million won.

L, an accounting background professional, joined Hybe in December 2019. He worked in the finance department until January 2024. He had team-level access rights to work folders, but additionally requested personal access rights in October 2023.

Subsequently, on February 1, 2024, he transferred to Ador and worked with former CEO Minhee Jin. At that time, L still had personal access rights to the folder. The prosecutors' office determined that L knew this and intended to use the materials for Ador's work.

On April 8 of the same year, L accessed Hybe's financial statements folder at Ador's office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. He downloaded a total of 51 files containing financial and accounting materials.

The materials he received included Hybe's income statements and financial statements, various detailed statements, and others. They also included 2021-2022 revenue data by region for all label artists under Hybe.

L is noted as the person in charge of practical matters regarding allegations of Hybe management rights theft involving former CEO Minhee Jin. He is known to have compiled weaknesses of Hybe executives and drafted objection letters under the names of NewJeans' parents.

The prosecutors' office stated, "The defendant invaded an information and communications network without legitimate access rights, downloaded materials containing Hybe's financial and accounting information, and thereby infringed on the secrets of others stored through the information and communications network."

Under the current Information and Communications Network Act, those who invade an information and communications network without legitimate access rights or beyond such rights, or infringe on others' secrets, are subject to imprisonment of up to 5 years or a fine of up to 50 million won.

A summary indictment is a procedure in which the prosecutors' office requests that a court impose a fine through written review instead of formal trial. The defendant may file for formal trial in objection to the summary order.

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