Minor Involved in Fundraising Scandal for K-Pop Group NewJeans Faces Juvenile Court

A member of Team Bunnies, a fan group that raised funds to combat malicious comments against the K-pop group NewJeans, has been referred to court. The individual, identified as a minor, has shocked the public.

The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 28th that they had sent the case of individual A, accused of violating the Donation Collection Act, to the Seoul Family Court's juvenile division in July.

After receiving the case from the police, the prosecution decided to refer A to juvenile protection proceedings instead of a regular criminal trial, considering A's minor status. Juvenile protection proceedings focus on improving the environment and character development of individuals under 19 who commit crimes or misconduct, rather than punishment. Such proceedings do not leave a criminal record.

A is accused of collecting donations through social media in October last year without registering the fundraising process, claiming the funds would be used to report malicious posts against NewJeans. The fundraising reportedly exceeded 50 million won in less than a day due to fan participation. At the time, Team Bunnies described themselves as a group of active professionals from various fields, including law, media, finance, culture, and arts.

Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR, mentioned them in public, expressing gratitude by saying, "There are people called Team Bunnies. I've never seen their faces or know their ages, but I'm very thankful. They appeared like Hong Gil-dong to me. I want to bow to them."

According to Article 4 of the current Donation Collection Act, individuals or organizations intending to raise more than 10 million won must prepare a fundraising and usage plan and register it with the Minister of the Interior and Safety or the head of the local government in advance. Violating this or using fraudulent methods to collect donations can result in up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won, as per Article 16 of the Act.

The funds collected by Team Bunnies are currently frozen. Depending on the investigation results, any unused funds will be returned to the donors according to the law.

Choi Ji-ye, TenAsia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr