Park Na-rae also referred to prosecutors on unregistered agency charges

Broadcaster Park Na-rae, 41, has been referred to prosecutors on charges of operating a talent agency without registering it with authorities.

The Gangnam Police Station forwarded Park to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on Thursday on charges of violating the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act.

The following day, police also referred her on charges of aggravated assault and violations of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. Those charges stem from complaints filed by her former managers, who alleged they were subjected to gapjil — abusive behavior by someone in a position of power.

The newly disclosed agency-related allegation involves Park's establishment and operation of a one-person company without completing the registration process required for popular culture and arts planning businesses.

Under current law, anyone seeking to operate such a business — including talent agencies — must register with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Failure to do so can result in up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($14,400).

A number of entertainers have been caught running unregistered agencies, apparently unaware of the legal requirement.

Earlier, police applied the same charge to singer CL and the head of actor Kang Dong-won's agency, among others, and referred them to prosecutors as well. Prosecutors handed down a deferred prosecution to those individuals in March.