[Exclusive] Culture Ministry admits zero agencies ever punished for breaking 2014 law

For 11 years, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism failed to penalize a single unregistered entertainment agency, despite a 2014 law requiring all talent management firms to obtain official licenses. The revelation comes as cases involving singer Sung Si-kyung and musical actress Ock Joo-hyun brought renewed scrutiny to the widespread practice of operating unregistered one-person agencies. The ministry acknowledged that unregistered agencies have long been in a regulatory blind spot. “Eac