Former Ourhome Vice Chairman Koo Bonseong: "30 Billion Won Dividend Demand Due to Share Sale Efficiency"

Gu Bon-seong, former vice chairman of Ourhome and the largest shareholder, expressed his position regarding the demand for 296.6 billion KRW in dividends, stating that it was "to enhance the efficiency of the share sale."

Koo Bon-sung, former Vice Chairman of Ourhome.

On the 30th, Gu's side stated in a press release, "Ourhome currently has accumulated retained earnings exceeding 500 billion KRW, so the dividend proposal was made to improve the efficiency of the share sale," adding, "It is a distortion of facts to claim that Honorary Chairman Gu Bon-seong would receive more than 100 billion KRW if the shareholder proposal passes."

Gu also claimed that Gu Ji-eun, the current vice chairman, had previously demanded high dividends. Gu's side said, "Before Gu Ji-eun took control of management in June 2021, she consistently demanded high dividends," and "The dividend payments of 45.6 billion KRW in 2020 and 77.5 billion KRW in 2021 were all approved with Gu Ji-eun's active support, and at that time, there was no issue of share sales."

They continued, "Now that Gu Ji-eun is managing Ourhome, she has changed her stance and proposed a company dividend plan of 3 billion KRW. Compared to the proposed director remuneration limit of 15 billion KRW, it is hard to accept the explanation that this is for the sound operation of the company," they pointed out.

Furthermore, "Gu Bon-seong supports the complete resolution of the family dispute that has hurt Ourhome by selling all shares of Ourhome," and "The honorable exit of the founding family and the introduction of a professional management system is a breakthrough for future growth that all members of Ourhome desire," he asserted.

Gu Bon-seong was ousted and dismissed in the June 2021 management rights dispute. At that time, among the three sisters who pushed Gu out, Gu Ji-eun was appointed as the sole CEO. Although conflicts over management rights continued afterward, the situation temporarily calmed down when Gu Ji-eun successfully defended her management rights at last year's extraordinary general meeting.

Meanwhile, Gu Mi-hyun, the eldest daughter of Ourhome, reportedly demanded on the 24th that shareholders be paid 45.6 billion KRW in dividends following Gu Bon-seong's proposal. Considering Ourhome's net profit last year was about 25 billion KRW, the eldest daughter and eldest son of the owner family are demanding dividends approximately 2 times and 12 times that amount, respectively. The company has stated it will pay a total dividend of 3 billion KRW. The matter is expected to be addressed at the shareholders' meeting on the 4th of next month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.