South Korea Cracks Down on Ticket Scalping with Hefty Fines

South Korea is taking a firm stance against the illicit resale of tickets for concerts and sporting events, introducing substantial penalties that took effect on August 28. Under the revised enforcement decrees for the Performing Arts Act and the National Sports Promotion Act, illegal purchasing and selling of tickets are now prohibited, irrespective of whether automated software, known as bots, was employed. Those found guilty of scalping face administrative fines that can reach up to 50 times the original ticket price.

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Today is a meaningful day for our nation's culture, arts, and sports.

Culture, Sports, and Tourism Minister Choi Hyun-yeol marked the day as significant for the nation's arts and sports sectors. "Until now, it was difficult to punish illegal activities even when discovered. Starting today, with the enforcement of the revised law, all fraudulent transactions of tickets for performances and sports will be banned, regardless of bot usage," he stated during a joint public-private inspection meeting on anti-scalping measures.

The revised laws, passed in February, not only ban fraudulent ticket transactions but also mandate measures for ticket vendors and online platforms to prevent scalping. They introduce systems for reporting scalpers, offering rewards, and imposing fines. The new enforcement decrees specify the responsibilities of ticket sellers and online intermediaries, requiring them to implement identity verification for buyers and provide reporting functions for scalped tickets. Failure to comply with requests for information from reporting agencies can result in fines of up to 5 million won.

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Until now, it was difficult to punish illegal activities even when discovered. Starting today, with the enforcement of the revised law, all fraudulent transactions of tickets for performances and sports will be banned, regardless of bot usage.

Beyond fines, the government is also looking to expand its crackdown to the film industry. Minister Choi acknowledged that ticket scalping has emerged as an issue in special screening venues for movies. "We will swiftly pursue legislative amendments to prevent ticket scalping, reflecting our firm stance against it," he promised. This move comes as the National Sports Promotion Corporation reported four scalping complaints on the first day of the new system's operation, indicating a proactive approach to enforcement.

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We will swiftly pursue legislative amendments to prevent ticket scalping, reflecting our firm stance against it.