South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it has taken legal action against ticket scalping for popular performances, including upcoming BTS concerts that have become a social issue.
The ministry said on the 11th that it identified 1,868 scalping posts (including duplicates) on major online secondhand trading platforms related to BTS's upcoming Gwanghwamun and Goyang concerts, despite the shows' strict one-ticket-per-person, non-transferable policy.
The ministry referred four cases involving 105 tickets to the National Police Agency for investigation. These cases involve suspected illegal scalping, including sellers who secured multiple tickets for the same show and attempted to sell them at high premiums.
The ministry expects scalping posts and related fraud to surge around the additional ticket sales for the Gwanghwamun concert, scheduled for 8 p.m. on the 12th. It has asked organizers, ticketing agencies, and platform operators to delete policy-violating posts, enforce strict on-site identity verification, and report suspected macro-based fraudulent transactions to the scalping tip center.
The ministry emphasized that scalpers' tickets are effectively unusable due to strict identity checks. For the Gwanghwamun concert, QR codes cannot be captured or rescanned after initial use. All attendees must verify their identity with designated IDs and wear non-reattachable wristbands. Random identity checks will be conducted inside the venue, with violators expelled.
Organizers said they are monitoring online posts for policy violations and canceling tickets when sellers fail to provide explanations.
The ministry said it is making comprehensive efforts to fundamentally resolve scalping issues in performances and sports. Amendments to the Performance Act and National Sports Promotion Act, effective in August, will ban all fraudulent transactions regardless of macro use. The revisions introduce fines up to 50 times the ticket price, whistleblower rewards, and mandatory anti-fraud measures for businesses.
On March 5, the ministry launched a public-private consultative body to combat scalping. At the ceremony, Minister Choi Hwi-young said, "Given the national interest in BTS concerts, we will work closely with relevant agencies and the industry to make this a model case for anti-scalping measures before the law takes effect."
