The court has recognized that former basketball player and broadcaster Hyun Joo-yeop left his workplace without permission for broadcasting activities during his tenure as the head coach of the Whimoon High School basketball team.

On September 17, the Seoul Administrative Court, specifically Administrative Division 2, ruled partially in favor of the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the Whimoon Academy school foundation against the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education seeking to cancel audit result disposition requirements.

The case originated from controversies in 2024, when Hyun Joo-yeop frequently missed training and practice sessions for broadcasting shoots while serving as the Whimoon High School basketball coach.

After a parent submitted a petition to the education office, the office conducted a comprehensive audit and civil complaint investigation targeting Whimoon Academy and Whimoon High School in April of the same year.

As a result, the education office concluded that Hyun Joo-yeop had left his workplace without permission approximately 18 times for broadcasting activities and other reasons without obtaining separate concurrent office permission.

Consequently, the education office demanded that Whimoon Academy issue a disciplinary pay reduction for Hyun Joo-yeop.

However, Whimoon Academy did not implement the education office's disciplinary demand and instead filed a lawsuit requesting the cancellation of the audit results.

The court confirmed yesterday that the grounds for the education office's audit dispositions, including the pay reduction targeting Hyun Joo-yeop, were justified.

The court stated that explanations from Hyun Joo-yeop's side, such as claiming unfamiliarity with administrative procedures, were insufficient.

However, the court pointed out that the administrative and financial sanctions imposed by the education office on Whimoon High School, such as the exclusion from special training fund support, violated the principle of proportionality.

Hyun Joo-yeop, who had suspended activities for over a year following the controversy, uploaded a video to his YouTube channel in September of last year stating, "I will just tell you everything."

In the video, Hyun Joo-yeop said, "It turned out that the raised suspicions are not true at all," and added, "If there is something to apologize for, I should apologize, but what kind of apology should I make?"

Hyun Joo-yeop, whose coaching contract with Whimoon High School has expired, is currently participating as a TV Chosun commentator for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

(Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Video Source: YouTube 'Hyun Joo-yeop's Food Court' | Produced by SBS Digital News)