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Hwang Seong-woo, CEO of Spire Entertainment (left), discloses a clip of a surveillance camera that shows Lee Hwi-chan, a member of Omega X, touching former CEO Kang Seong-hee inappropriately at a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday. (Newsis) |
Spire Entertainment held a press conference Tuesday, claiming that the former CEO of the agency, Kang Seong-hee, was sexually harassed by one of the 11 Omega X members.
Hwang Seong-woo, CEO of Spire Entertainment, disclosed a clip from a surveillance camera that allegedly showed Lee Hwi-chan, a member of Omega X, pulling up Kang’s shirt and touching her inappropriately.
Kang is shown pulling down her shirt and attempting to stop Lee from continuing with his action.
Hwang also showed another clip in which Lee is seen standing in front of Kang, pushing her down and again allegedly attempting to touch her body.
“This took place when Omega X was on a tour in the US (on July 11, 2022). The members were drinking after work and discussing when to begin their mandatory military service with our agency employees,” Hwang said during the press conference. Hwang is Kang's husband.
“Lee Hwi-chan then told former CEO Kang that he wanted to talk to her about having to serve his mandatory military duty just as the group had finally pulled something off in their career. Kang was consoling Lee when he sexually harassed her,” Hwang said.
Hwang claimed that the agency informed all 11 members of Omega X of the incident when they decided to terminate their exclusive contract with the agency.
The court granted an injunction in January 2023, allowing the termination of the exclusive contract between Omega X and Spire Entertainment.
Meanwhile, the group's agency IPQ said in a press statement released prior to the Spire Entertainment's press conference that Omega X's case against Kang has been sent to the prosecutors. Omega X members had sued Kang for using physical force against group member Jaehan in a corridor of the Los Angeles hotel where they were staying on Oct. 22, 2022.
The alleged violence by Spire Entertainment's ex-CEO caught the public's attention last October during the group’s US tour, when a video spread showing Kang physically and verbally abusing the group members in Los Angeles.
In May 2023, the members announced that all of them had inked contracts with local label IPQ. Shortly after, Spire Entertainment began a legal battle to keep the group under its roof.
"I can no longer watch my wife (Kang) repeatedly attempt suicide after being accused of being an assaulter when she was the victim of a sexual assault. We are going to respond strongly to the spreading of false information and will not forgive,” said Hwang, shedding tears.
He added that the surveillance clip was recovered through a forensic process two weeks ago.
“We are going to file a lawsuit on this matter either today or tomorrow. We will also submit the clip as evidence,” Hwang said.
In its press statement released Tuesday, IPQ Entertainment claimed that Spire Entertainment has been releasing false information regarding Omega X members, negatively impacting their career.
It added that it will continue protecting its artists and support their activities to the fullest.
