South Korean ballad singer Sung Si-kyung has publicly apologized after his talent agency was found to have operated illegally for 14 years without proper business registration required under entertainment industry laws. The revelation has sparked controversy and raised questions about regulatory compliance within the Korean entertainment sector.

Sung's one-person talent agency, SK Jaewon, was established in February 2011 but never registered as a pop culture and arts planning business as mandated by South Korean law. The agency has been managed by Sung's older sister since 2018, yet continued operating without the legally required registration throughout its entire existence. Under current regulations, all corporations and individual agencies representing entertainers must complete proper registration to operate legally within the industry.

The legal consequences for such violations are significant, with penalties including up to two years in prison or fines reaching 20 million won, which equals approximately $14,500. These strict penalties reflect the government's efforts to regulate and monitor the entertainment industry more closely following various scandals and issues in recent years.

In an official statement addressing the controversy, SK Jaewon acknowledged their oversight and attempted to explain the circumstances. "After establishing the corporation in February 2011, the law introducing the registration requirement came into effect in January 2014. We did not recognize this obligation and therefore failed to complete the process," the agency stated. The company emphasized that their non-compliance was due to ignorance rather than intentional wrongdoing.

The agency continued their apology by expressing sincere regret for their lack of awareness regarding industry regulations. "We sincerely apologize for our lack of awareness and preparation regarding the relevant regulations," they said in the statement. The agency assured the public that they are now taking immediate corrective action to resolve the situation.

SK Jaewon announced that they have begun the registration process and are working to complete all necessary requirements as quickly as possible. "We immediately began the procedure upon learning of the issue and will finalize it as soon as possible to fully comply with legal requirements. We apologize for causing concern and will operate with greater responsibility going forward," the agency promised in their statement.

This incident is not an isolated case within the Korean entertainment industry, as other prominent figures have faced similar regulatory issues. Singer and musical theater actress Ock Joo-hyun recently admitted to her own failure in registering her talent agency within the required timeframe. She issued a public apology on Friday, taking full responsibility for the administrative oversight.

Ock Joo-hyun explained her situation in detail, stating, "Due to my lack of administrative knowledge, some steps were omitted and registration was not completed on schedule. This mistake was entirely my fault." She revealed that she had filed her registration on September 10 and is currently awaiting official approval from the relevant authorities.

Despite both entertainers taking corrective measures and issuing public apologies, law enforcement authorities are expected to continue their investigations into these cases. Police have confirmed that they received a formal complaint through the national petition system regarding Ock Joo-hyun's unregistered agency operations. This complaint has been officially transferred to police, who are now reviewing the case and determining appropriate next steps.

The ongoing investigations suggest that authorities are taking these regulatory violations seriously and may pursue legal action regardless of the corrective measures being taken. This development highlights the importance of proper compliance with entertainment industry regulations and may serve as a warning to other agencies and entertainers to ensure their operations meet all legal requirements.