South Korea Refers 170 Suspected Ticket Scalpers to Police in First Mass Sweep
Authorities referred 170 high-volume ticket resellers to police in the first large enforcement action under South Korea’s tightened anti-scalping rules, after receiving more than 68,000 public complaints in just over a month.
South Korean authorities have referred 170 suspected high-volume ticket scalpers to police in the first large enforcement action under tougher rules designed to curb inflated resale prices for sports and entertainment events.
The suspects allegedly offered 11,032 tickets through secondary markets in transactions estimated to exceed 1 billion won, or about $770,000. The group included 121 sellers of sports tickets and 49 sellers of entertainment tickets, according to the report. One individual was accused of listing more than 1,000 tickets with a combined asking price above 100 million won.
The crackdown follows amendments that took effect on Aug. 28 and prohibit repeated or commercial resale above face value, whether or not automated purchasing software was used to acquire the tickets. The wider standard closed a gap in earlier enforcement, which had focused more narrowly on tickets bought with automated programs.
Public reporting surged after the revised rules came into force. Authorities received more than 68,000 complaints between Aug. 28 and Oct. 1, an average of roughly 2,000 a day and about 17 times the rate recorded last year. Regulators worked with online resale platforms to block approximately 30,000 suspicious posts and obtain transaction information for the most serious cases. About 68 percent of the suspects had posted listings on Ticketbay.
Officials are also examining attempts to disguise markups. Four people were flagged for allegedly requiring buyers to purchase overpriced merchandise or describing additional charges as service fees. Authorities said the substance of the transaction, rather than the label attached to an extra payment, would determine whether a resale violated the rules.
Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young described ticket scalping as a criminal act that harms the rights of creators and athletes while disrupting the market. The government says violators can face administrative fines of up to 50 times a ticket’s face value. People who report illegal ticket hoarding may be eligible for rewards of up to 50 million won.
The timing gives the enforcement campaign particular significance as South Korea enters the KBO postseason, when demand for professional baseball tickets is especially high. Authorities plan joint digital monitoring and on-site police operations at playoff venues, combining scrutiny of online listings with patrols around stadiums.
The mass referral will test how effectively the expanded law can deter commercial resellers while preserving legitimate transfers at or below face value. It also signals that platforms and transaction records will play a central role in future investigations as authorities move beyond complaint-based enforcement.