Controversy over Seoul City's 375.65 million won contract with company run by "Honorary Mayor" Shin Hyeon-jun's wife: "Preferential treatment" vs. "Existing business relationship"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Suspicions of preferential treatment have been raised over a promotional video production contract between Seoul City and a company operated by actor Shin Hyeon-jun's wife. In response, the company side refuted the claims, stating that they do not reflect the facts.

Yoon Sun-hee, a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party of Korea, Jongno 1), raised questions about the appropriateness of the promotional video production contract between Seoul City and the company where Shin Hyeon-jun's wife serves as representative during an administrative audit of the Seoul City Public Relations Planning Office held on the 4th.

According to Councilor Yoon, J&C River, the company represented by Shin Hyeon-jun's wife, signed a contract totaling 375.65 million won to produce seven YouTube content videos featuring Shin Hyeon-jun for Seoul City, among others. Councilor Yoon pointed out that the amount exceeded 50 million won per project.

Shin Hyeon-jun was appointed as an Honorary Mayor of Seoul City in September last year, alongside actor Jung Joon-ho and volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung. The position of Honorary Mayor of Seoul City is an unpaid honorary role appointed to reflect citizens' voices in city administration.

Councilor Yoon pointed out that J&C River had previously been engaged in the design business for bags, clothing, and miscellaneous goods. He claimed that after the company added film production, advertising and promotional video production, and agency services to its corporate registration in March last year, it secured the video production contract with Seoul City.

Councilor Yoon stated, "Only the business categories were added to the registration; the company's original business is a fashion company and a bag company," and asked, "It is hard to accept that they secured a Seoul City contract simply because they are the spouse of an Honorary Mayor, but do you consider it legitimate for a bag company to secure public video projects worth hundreds of millions of won?"

He further pointed out, "Each project costs over 50 million won, and while spending approximately 400 million won in taxes on direct contracts for what is currently visible, they did not even review the company's track record."

Additionally, he raised the possibility of preferential treatment, stating, "If one suspects rationally, it looks like Mr. Shin Hyeon-jun is stylishly serving as an unpaid Honorary Mayor in front, while taking care of a family corporation behind the scenes."

In response, J&C River refuted the claim that they had added video production to their business objectives late, stating that it did not reflect the facts.

The company side told NEWSIS, "Film production, advertising and promotional video production, and agency services were already registered in our business objectives when the corporation was established in 2022," adding, "Therefore, these businesses were not newly added later or started at a specific point in time."

The company also stated that its contract with Seoul City had continued even before Shin Hyeon-jun was appointed as Honorary Mayor.

J&C River explained, "Before the appointment of the Honorary Mayor of Seoul City, J&C River has a track record of producing branded content with Seoul City," and added, "The production of Seoul City-related content is also not a business newly started after the appointment of the Honorary Mayor."

They also emphasized that Shin Hyeon-jun's wife is a businesswoman who has accumulated long-term experience in related fields.

The company side conveyed, "The representative of J&C River is a professional female entrepreneur who has accumulated diverse practical experience and credentials in related fields such as video production and entertainment business for over 10 years, rather than starting her current business simply based on the background of being a celebrity's spouse."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original