Up to 50 Times the Sale Price in Fines for Ticket Scalping

If tickets for performances or sports events are illegally resold, fines of up to 50 times the sale price will be imposed. The government is also pushing to block ticket scalping at the source by offering a reward of 50% of the fine collected for tips.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the revised enforcement decrees of the Public Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act, which include these measures, passed the 36th State Council of South Korea meeting on the 18th and took effect on the 28th.
The Public Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act, revised in February, ban both the purchase of tickets for resale purposes, regardless of whether macro programs are used, and the resale of tickets at a markup.
The revised enforcement decrees spell out the specific obligations imposed on businesses under the amended laws, as well as the requirements for designating reporting agencies and the standards for rewards and fines.
Under the revised laws, ticket sellers and online marketplace operators are required to take steps to prevent illegal purchases and illegal resales. The enforcement decrees specify those measures as identity verification, operation of reporting functions, notices of possible sanctions such as limits on the visibility of related posts and fines in cases of illicit transactions, and restrictions on post visibility at the request of reporting agencies. They also set out detailed procedures for designating reporting agencies and requesting data submissions.
Reporting agencies may ask ticket sellers and platform operators for information on the authors of posts related to illegal purchases and resales, as well as internet access logs. A fine of up to 5 million won will be imposed on those who fail to submit the requested materials without justifiable reason or submit false information.
The criteria for fines have also been established. The revised decrees introduce a new standard that imposes fines ranging from two times to as much as 50 times the sale price, depending on the number and value of illegally resold tickets. However, transfers of performance tickets and similar items within a reasonable range will be judged carefully to determine whether they constitute illegal resale.
The standards for rewards for reporting have also been clarified. Those who report illegal purchases may receive up to 50 million won, while those who report illegal resales may receive a reward of up to 50% of the fine imposed on the violator.
Choi Hwi-young chaired a joint inspection meeting with related agencies on the day to ensure the successful implementation and effectiveness of the revised laws. The meeting was attended by 19 organizations, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), the National Police Agency, major ticketing platforms and secondhand trading platforms, related associations, and agencies that receive reports of ticket scalping. They shared plans to prevent ticket scalping and reviewed their cooperation system.
[email protected] Yoo Seon-jun Reporter