Kim Yu-na in dispute over ad payments

By Park Si-soo

Figure skater Kim Yu-na has been embroiled in a legal dispute over what she calls overdue payment worth 900 million won ($799,000) from her former management agency, her lawyers confirmed Monday.

A law firm representing Kim said the first court hearing on the case was held last Wednesday at the Seoul Central District Court, nearly four months after it filed a damages suit against IB Sport, her former agency, in November.

The lawsuit was first reported by media outlets Monday. The law firm said the agency has refused to pay 900 million won Kim made in sponsorships or by appearing in commercials for Hyundai Motor, Kookmin Bank among others.

The 21-year-old skater established her own management agency after her contract with IB Sports expired in April last year.

IB Sport denies the allegations that it owes her any money. The company said the effectiveness of the advertising contracts she signed when she was represented by the company have been extended and still remain valid.

“The disputed money is what we can claim,” IB Sport said in a statement. “The contract over the disputed money clearly states that part of profits generated with the extension of the contract belongs to us.”

The agency said it will file a countersuit against Kim worth 100 million won, citing the violation of the contract she signed when she established her own agency.

김연아, 前소속사와 9억 수익배분 소송 제기

‘피겨 여왕’ 김연아(21)가 전 소속사 IB스포츠를 상대로 수익금을 돌려달라는 소송을 제기한 사실이 알려졌다. 김연아의 법률대리인인 법무법인 지안은 21일 지난해 11월 IB스포츠를 상대로 수익배분금 청구소송을 제기해 지난 16일 서울중앙지법에서 첫 재판이 열렸다고 전했다.

지안은 “현대자동차, 국민은행 등이 김연아에 대한 후원금과 광고 모델료로 IB스포츠에 지급한 금액 중 8억9400만원을 돌려받지 못했다”고 주장했다.

IB스포츠 측은 이에 대해 “김연아는 IB스포츠 소속 때 맺은 광고계약 일부를 현재까지 연장해 이행하고 있는 데 우리는 이 부분에 대한 권리가 있다”며 “돌려줄 부분은 돌려주고 받아야할 것은 받겠다는 게 우리 입장”이라고 반박했다.

김연아는 지난해 4월 IB스포츠와 계약이 만료되면서 자신이 주주로 참여한 새 매니지먼트사인 올댓스포츠를 설립해 활동하고 있다.