Ticket scalpers face fines of up to 50 times sale price

Korea's culture ministry has announced plans to impose severe penalties on individuals who engage in illegal ticket reselling, with fines potentially reaching up to 50 times the original sale price. This move is part of a broader crackdown on a practice known as ticket scalping. The ministry also announced that individuals who come forward with information about such illegal activities could receive rewards equivalent to half of the imposed fine.

These measures will come into effect immediately under revised enforcement decrees for two key laws: the Public Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act. Both of these laws were amended in February and now explicitly forbid the acquisition of tickets with the sole intent to resell them, as well as the practice of selling tickets at prices significantly higher than their original value.

The restrictions imposed by these laws apply equally to ticket buyers who employ automated software, commonly referred to as macro programs, to secure tickets en masse. Under the new regulations, both ticket sellers and online platforms will be required to implement several safeguards to prevent illegal buying and resale activities.

These measures include verifying the identities of users, establishing reporting systems, and limiting the visibility of posts that may be linked to suspected illegal transactions. Furthermore, platforms will be obligated to restrict the visibility of posts when they identify suspicious patterns of behavior.