PLEDIS Release Updates Regarding SEVENTEEN Mingyu’s Bullying Accusations

*Trigger Warning: This article includes descriptions of bullying.

Recently, SEVENTEEN rapper Mingyu received accusations regarding school bullying and sexual harassment.

Last week, claims of bullying surfaced online against the idol. One claimed that the idol bullied a classmate with a disability and another alleged victim accused Mingyu of sexual harassment.

PLEDIS Entertainment, Mingyu's agency, has since denied rumors of school bullying against the idol and revealed that they have reached out to the mother of the alleged victim with a disability. The mother confirmed that Mingyu did not bully her child. Despite this, other claims against Mingyu have not yet been confirmed nor denied.

To address the issues, PLEDIS Entertainment released their recent official statement regarding the issue that concerns their artist. Read the full transcript below.

"Hello.

This is PLEDIS Entertainment.

We would like to provide a statement regarding our company's position on the claims posted online regarding SEVENTEEN member Mingyu's behavior as a student.

First, please allow us to apologize for not issuing an immediate response.

After the claims were posted online, our company examined the information regarding the artist as well as the surrounding circumstances. During this process, we were able to verify that there were certain discrepancies between the information posted online and what we were able to verify from the artist.

With the continued surfacing of school violence-related issues across our society, our company determined that a clear verification of the facts must take priority, and we are carefully examining all the issues. We would like to apologize that this process has delayed our response.

As we have noted, our company has contacted the parties involved through a variety of methods to ascertain the facts of this issue. We are still in the process of reaching out, and we have spoken with numerous acquaintances of the artist including his classmates.

First, regarding what we have been able to verify to date, the claim that the artist abused a classmate with a disability is completely false.

The artist himself clearly remembered the person identified in the claim as the victim, and we were able to contact and discuss the issue with this person's mother, who confirmed that the student was in fact on very good terms with the artist. She remembered the names of the students who did abuse the victim in school, and was able to verify this information for us immediately.

This person is currently leading an ordinary life as a private individual and feels uncomfortable that the past has been discussed publicly without consent. Despite this, the former classmate generously verified the facts for the sake of the artist.

Our company is carefully examining the other issues. However, as identifying the original posters of the allegations is difficult, and as some posters have expressed the desire not to be contacted, we are compelled to proceed with caution.

We respect the wishes of those who wish not to be contacted. If we are given the opportunity, we are always willing to meet anyone to examine the facts and carry out the necessary measures to address these issues.

We believe that the issue of school violence, a serious problem today, must be considered foremost from the victim's point of view. However, in addition to the victim's perspectives, we determined that measures must be carried out after the facts of the issues have been clearly verified.

As these problems occurred in the artist's past when he was a student in elementary and middle school, we believe that it is necessary to carefully verify the facts and determine a course of action after examining these events as close to as they actually occurred as much as possible.

The artist himself has expressed his deep apology for the discomfort caused to all fans with the occurrence of this issue. He has temporarily suspended his activities, and has entrusted the company to carry out all necessary examinations of the facts.

Our company would also like to offer our sincere apology for the discomfort we have caused regarding our artist.

This statement is not an indication that we consider this issue to be resolved, and we will carry out the necessary measures as we verify the facts. However, we ask for your understanding as this is not a simple process and will take time.

Meeting those who have spoken out that they have been harmed, and verifying the facts and ensuring that they can be healed is the most important. In addition, please understand that we cannot consider any decision that may impact the entire life of the artist lightly and without verifying the facts. We promise that if any wrongdoing is found after this process, we will take clear and necessary measures.

Once again, please allow us to offer our apology in causing discomfort due to issues related to our artist."