Korean fishing company Sajo Oyang Corporation rejects claims made by Sunday Star-Times reporter Michael Field.

The allegations made by Michael Field are untrue, and to publish them is nothing short of scurrilous and outrageous conduct.

Michael Field approached representatives of Sajo Oyang Corporation and its lawyers by email a few days prior to publishing this article. The allegations in his email, and which he subsequently published, were regarded as ludicrous and bizarre, and as a result of the nature of them, as well as Mr Field’s biased articles in the past, the company chose not to respond to him.

The subsequent article written by Michael Field is based on innuendo and the fact the Sunday Star-Times chose to publish it is outrageous in itself.

Sajo Oyang Corporation specifically states that neither it nor its lawyers:

• Hired investigators to “find out how academics and the Sunday Star-Times obtained information”;
• Hired private investigators to follow US ambassador Luis CdeBaca when he was present in New Zealand looking into human trafficking in the New Zealand sex industry (nor would it have any reason to do so);
• Hired people to confront or intimidate researchers from the Auckland Business School.

Sajo Oyang Corporation utterly rejects and denies the innuendo in the article that “a Fairfax car, parked on private property, was broken into” was committed by the company or people whom it hired. The company also notes that Michael Field has quoted directly an “executive” despite not having spoken to anyone from Sajo Oyang Corporation.

Both Michael Field and the Sunday Star-Times have been told on two occasions their allegations that Christchurch-based Southern Storm Fishing (2007) Ltd is a so-called “shell” company of Sajo Oyang are not true and yet continue to make this claim. Sajo Oyang holds no shares or securities in Southern Storm Fishing. The relationship between the companies is entirely contractual, as are all arrangements with New Zealand fishing companies that use foreign charter vessels.

Sajo Oyang is working with New Zealand authorities and Southern Storm Fishing Ltd, the New Zealand charterer, to resolve the industrial dispute with the crew from the Oyang 75. The company is trying to take a responsible position but is being forced to publicly correct these false accusations made by Michael Field.

ENDS

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