[Dispatch=Park Hye-jin] Actor Shin Hyun-jun has been caught up in suspicions surrounding his wife's company's non-competitive contract for Seoul promotional videos. The company has refuted the claims.

Yoon Sun-hee, vice chair of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party·Jongno 1), pointed out during an administrative audit on the 4th that "J's & River," a company represented by Shin Hyun-jun's wife, has repeatedly received non-competitive contracts for Seoul promotional video production.

Shin Hyun-jun was appointed as honorary mayor of Seoul last September. The honorary mayor position is an unpaid honorary role. However, according to Councilor Yoon, his wife's company produced seven Seoul City YouTube videos featuring Shin Hyun-jun. The total contract value is 375.65 million won.

The company's business type was also questioned. J's & River added film production, advertising and promotional video production, and agency business to its corporate registration in March last year before receiving orders for Seoul City videos. "Is it justifiable for a handbag company to receive hundreds of millions of won in public video contracts?" the councilor asked.

The contract process also came under scrutiny. Kim Hyung-rae, Seoul City's promotional planning official, explained that non-competitive contracts were possible within the applicable amount range. However, regarding whether the company's track record was reviewed, he answered, "We do not award non-competitive contracts while reviewing a company's track record."

Councilor Yoon criticized, "On one hand, Mr. Shin Hyun-jun is impressively active as an unpaid honorary mayor, and on the other hand, it amounts to nothing but looking after a family corporation." She urged Seoul City to examine the contract status of all its institutions.

Seoul City released a statement. The contract was not in return for the honorary mayor position but a separate service contract for producing and delivering planned promotional content. "The video project had been carried out by J's & River before Mr. Shin was appointed as honorary mayor," the city explained.

Shin Hyun-jun's wife's side also released an official statement on the 6th. "Unlike some reports mentioning 7 videos of Seoul City-related video production achievements, the company actually produced a total of 18 long-form videos over two years," she said.

Regarding the claim that the business type was added belatedly, she refuted, "Film production, among other services, has been included in the company's business purpose since its establishment in 2022" and "Before Seoul City projects, the company had been producing its own new media content and accumulating related achievements and portfolios."

J's & River stated, "We will faithfully cooperate with the submission of necessary materials and fact-checking procedures related to the administrative audit" and "We plan to clearly explain responses to the raised questions based on objective materials related to contracts and project execution."

<Photo=Dispatch DB>