EXO members Chen, Baekhyun, Xiumin seek termination of contracts

Members of EXO Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin have informed their agency SM Entertainment of terminating their contracts on June 1.

According to Soompi, the trio, through their legal representative, delivered their statement.

Lawyer Lee Jae-hak revealed that from March 21 the three members sent in their "certification of contents for a total of seven times": "Through this, they requested a copy of the transparent settlement report and basis for settlement."

SM Entertainment, as per Lee, did not give the EXO members the artist copies.

"If SM had accurately paid the settlement to the artists, there would have been no reason why they could not provide the settlement reports and settlement basis," the firm said.

The lawyer revealed that the entertainment group is looking to tie down the artist in a exclusive contracts that will span 17 to 18 years.

The agency, as per the statement, made the artists sign contracts that spanned for 12 to 13 years in their debut and later pushed the members again to sign exclusive contracts.

"SM has been repeatedly committing unjust use of power such as this," he said.

"Regarding this, the artists feel that SM is using their superior position to force artists to sign so-called slave contracts that span over almost 20 years including their training periods," the statement read.

The legal rep added that the issue may not be one limited to Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin but to all the artists that fall under SM Entertainment.

The statement concluded with the members issuing an apology to fans and assured that they will "do [their] best to find a wise way to resolve this dispute so that we do not cause fans too much concern."