Korea enacts tough new rules to crack down on ticket scalping

In a major step to safeguard fair access to live entertainment and athletic events, Korea has enacted strict new enforcement rules designed to eradicate ticket scalping across the country. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday that the updated regulations officially took effect on Friday, following final Cabinet approval on Aug. 18.

The milestone measures flesh out landmark revisions to the Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act passed by the National Assembly in February. Under the overhauled legal framework, all fraudulent ticket buying and unauthorized reselling are explicitly outlawed. Crucially, the ban applies universally — eliminating a long-standing legal loophole by penalizing scalpers regardless of whether they use automated "macro" software to hijack digital queues and buy up inventory faster than ordinary human users.

Under the new rules, primary ticketing sellers and secondhand resale platforms must implement robust compliance protocols. They are now legally required to verify user identities, maintain active reporting features, restrict suspicious listings tied to fraudulent transactions and immediately comply with information requests from designated reporting agencies. Failing to submit required records or providing falsified information carries administrative fines of up to 5 million won ($3,600).

To deter professional scalping rings, the regulations establish a sliding fine scale ranging from two to 50 times a scalped ticket's resale price, depending on transaction volume and value, with all illicit profits subject to full confiscation. Genuine nonprofit peer-to-peer transfers among ordinary fans remain explicitly exempt. Furthermore, the government has introduced substantial whistleblower incentives: Individuals who report illegal ticket purchases can earn rewards of up to 50 million won, while those reporting illegal sales can receive up to half of the final fine levied on the offender.

The crackdown addresses a growing crisis in Korea's booming entertainment and sports ecosystem. For years, public frustration has mounted as high-profile K-pop concerts, theatrical productions, and championship games sold out in seconds, only for tickets to reappear on secondary marketplaces at extortionate markups.

Signaling a coordinated offensive, Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young chaired a joint meeting Friday with 19 key entities — including the Fair Trade Commission, the National Police Agency, leading ticketing services and major online marketplaces — to align enforcement strategies.

"We are fully prepared to resolve the scalping problem that undermines the sustainable growth of K-culture," Choi said, pledging tight coordination with police to guarantee fair access to concerts and sporting events.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.