Culture Ministry Asks Police to Investigate 16 Unregistered Entertainment Agencies

On-site inspections of 50 agencies suspected of operating without registration or being poorly managed

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism headquarters. Photo provided by the ministry.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on November 12 that it had asked police to investigate 16 entertainment agencies suspected of operating without registering as public culture and arts planning businesses.

The ministry conducted on-site inspections, together with local governments, of 50 agencies suspected of operating without registration or being poorly managed. After confirming that 16 had no record of registration, it asked the police stations with jurisdiction to investigate them on November 9 and 10. It also notified the relevant local governments of the agencies’ information.

The ministry has identified agencies suspected of being unregistered through reports filed with the e-People petition system and its own investigations. From September 18 to December 31, 2025, it ran a nationwide campaign to encourage agencies to register voluntarily. The number of new registrations during that period increased by about 50% from the previous year.

Under the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act, entertainment agencies must register as public culture and arts planning businesses with the relevant local government. Operating without registration may be punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. As of August 2026, there were 6,678 registered agencies.

Amendments to the law requiring regular inspections of agencies’ registration requirements will take effect on November 20, 2026. The ministry must check at least once a year whether registered agencies continue to meet the requirements set by law, including those concerning personnel and offices. It may also request materials needed for inspections. An agency that no longer meets the requirements after registration may have its registration revoked.

A ministry official said, "We will continue providing information about and promoting the system throughout the year to encourage businesses to fulfill their registration obligations. We plan to conduct regular inspections so that registration is not a one-time procedure and registered agencies continue to comply with legal requirements."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.