SINGAPORE — Former Girls' Generation member Jessica Jung, who said she was forced out of the popular K-Pop girl group, has released a statement outlining a sequence of events before she was dropped from the group.

Refuting an earlier statement by the group's management, SM Entertainment, Jung said she had received permission from the both the management and members before going ahead with setting up her fashion label, BLANC. She also defended her position as being forced out from the group.

Yesterday, SM Entertainment said Jung notified the agency she would stop team propmotions after the release of one more album. In the midst of "insufficient negotiations regarding conflicts of differences in priorities and interest, Jessica started her fashion business. Due to this, despite ongoing talks, it has come to a point where the team could not be maintained", the agency said.

In her statement today, Jung said while planning for her business she had “sufficiently consulted SM as well as the members about my preparation many times and asked for their understanding”. She added that until the beginning of August, she had “received agreement and permission from SM and congratulations from the members as well”.

The statement goes on to say that her management and her fellow members changed their position early last month, only a month after BLANC was launched. “The members suddenly changed their position and held a meeting, and told me to either quit my business or leave Girls’ Generation without any justifiable reason,” Jung’s statement said, adding that she could not stop her business due to a contract she had entered into with a business partner.

Jung said she met with the agency’s chief executive on Sept 16, where she “confirmed” that permission was granted for her to continue her business. But on Wednesday, she received notice to leave the girl group.

Jung has since been dropped from all Girls' Generation activities, including a fan meeting in China on Sept 30.

Jung ended her note by expressing her sadness: “I have received great pain and cannot hide my sadness that I was asked by the agency and fellow members, whom I’ve spent 15 years with putting in all my passion and effort, to leave Girls’ Generation just because of the reason that I’m starting a business.”

“I also want to apologise for causing concern to all the fans. Please understand that this situation is not at all what I had wanted, and that I’ve always treasured Girls’ Generation, and that I will continue to do so. Thank you for always supporting and loving me.”