▲ This K-pop concert image is irrelevant to the controversies concerning the article. (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- More than one in 10 popular culture and arts agencies failed to complete mandatory legal training without facing any significant sanctions, data showed Thursday.

 

According to data the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism provided to Rep. Jin Sun-mi of the Democratic Party, 2,911 of the 19,998 popular culture and arts agencies subject to mandatory training between 2021 and 2025, or 14.6 percent, did not complete the training.

 

The figures represent the sum of the number of agencies subject to the training each year, meaning some agencies were counted more than once.

 

No fines were imposed by the culture ministry on agencies that failed to complete the mandatory training during the five-year period, according to the data.

 

▲ Photo courtesy of Rep. Jin Sun-mi's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

 

Under the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act, popular culture and arts agencies are required to complete at least three hours of mandatory training each year, or six hours for newly registered agencies. The ministry can impose fines on those that fail to complete the training. The training covers the protection of young popular culture and arts workers, standard contracts and prevention of sexual harassment and sexual violence. 

 

The number of agencies that failed to complete the training was 992 in 2021, or 26.8 percent; 491 in 2022, or 13.6 percent; 385 in 2023, or 9.7 percent; 522 in 2024, or 12.6 percent; and 521 in 2025, or 11.4 percent.

 

As of August this year, 4,274 agencies had failed to complete the training, putting the noncompletion rate at 65.7 percent.

 

Despite the situation, the culture ministry had not imposed a single fine specifically for failure to complete the mandatory training. After continued criticism over the lack of compliance, the ministry recently launched a large-scale inspection campaign, including on-site inspections.

 

The ministry plans to impose administrative measures, including fines, this month for violations of relevant laws, including failures to complete mandatory training identified during joint on-site inspections conducted in August and September.

 

"The mandatory training is a minimum safeguard created to protect popular culture and arts workers, including underage trainees," Jin said. "The culture ministry needs to establish an effective management system for agencies that fail to complete the mandatory training."

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]