Next Digital Ltd (壹傳媒集團), which is owned by media tycoon Jimmy Lai (黎智英), said that the firm is not ceasing operations and apologized to staff for an earlier “wrong message,” an internal memo said.
On Wednesday, the listed Hong Kong company sent employees a memo saying that it was to cease operations on Thursday.
Next Digital is the publisher of the Apple Daily newspaper, which closed last week after Hong Kong authorities used the National Security Law to arrest top editors and executives.
“Regarding the e-mail dated on June 30 mentioning that the group would cease operations, the department hereby clarified that the group is not ceasing operations, but making personnel arrangements,” it wrote in a memo sent to staff late on Thursday night, adding that it would follow labor rules in terms of settling compensation and payroll issues.
“We also extend apologies for the wrong message,” the memo said.
A representative from Next Digital did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a stock exchange filing late on Wednesday, Next Digital said that it plans to sell the offices of Apple Daily in Taiwan to an undisclosed buyer.
On Tuesday, the company said it had accepted a non-binding proposal to sell Amazing Sino International, publisher of Apple Daily in Taiwan.
It did not name the buyer.
Next Digital shares have been suspended since June 17.
Under Hong Kong trading rules, the territory’s exchange operator can cancel a listing if a company goes into liquidation or if a firm’s business “is no longer suitable.”
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