Sung Si-kyung's Sister Referred to Prosecution for Unregistered Agency; Sung Si-kyung Not Charged

No Evidence of Sung Si-kyung’s Involvement in Agency Operations

The sister of singer Sung Si-kyung and his agency have been referred to the prosecution on charges of operating an entertainment agency without registering with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Sung Si-kyung was not charged, as there was no evidence of his direct involvement in the company's operations.

Singer Sung Si-kyung. SK Jaewon Co., Ltd.

According to the police on December 10, the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul referred Sung Si-kyung’s sister, Sung Mo, and the agency SK Jaewon Co., Ltd. to the prosecution without detention on charges of violating the Act on the Development of the Public Culture and Arts Industry.

The police decided not to refer Sung Si-kyung, who was also accused, as they found no objective evidence indicating his direct involvement in the agency’s operations.

SK Jaewon Co., Ltd. is a one-person agency headed by Sung’s sister, and was reported to the police for not being registered as a public culture and arts planning business with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. According to the current Act on the Development of the Public Culture and Arts Industry, entertainment agencies must register with the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism through the administrative authority with jurisdiction over their business location.

Violating this regulation can result in imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won. At the time, SK Jaewon Co., Ltd. explained that although the corporation was established in February 2011, they were unaware that the registration requirement was introduced when the Act on the Development of the Public Culture and Arts Industry was enacted in January 2014.

On December 10, SK Jaewon Co., Ltd. issued a statement saying, “We sincerely apologize for causing concern due to today’s news reports regarding the unregistered status.”

The agency explained, “Following the guidance issued in September regarding the grace period for registration as a public culture and arts planning business until December 31, we have carefully completed all necessary procedures, and we have officially received our registration certificate on November 27, 2025, in accordance with Article 26, Paragraph 1 of the Act on the Development of the Public Culture and Arts Industry.”

The agency added, “We will continue to faithfully comply with ongoing procedures and do our best to accurately communicate the facts to the relevant authorities.”