Culture Ministry to Intensify Ticket Scalping Crackdown for Pro Baseball Postseason

On-site Crackdowns at Stadiums and Surrounding Areas Ahead of the Postseason

The government and police will step up on-site crackdowns on ticket scalping around stadiums ahead of the professional baseball postseason.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on October 13 that it would launch an intensive crackdown on ticket scalping at stadiums and in surrounding areas with the National Police Agency, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), professional baseball clubs, and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation ahead of the postseason, which begins on October 14.

The ministry plans to monitor stadium surroundings during the peak period before games, when spectators gather, for suspected illegal sales, such as sellers seeking out buyers or offering large quantities of tickets. It will also conduct intensive inspections of areas where scalping is a concern, including ticket booths, main entrances, and nearby gathering spots. If suspected scalping, such as the sale of large quantities of tickets, is identified on site, the ministry will immediately refer the case to the police and help secure evidence needed to verify the circumstances of the transaction. The results of each game’s crackdown and notable cases will also inform the areas and methods targeted at subsequent games.

Choi Hwiyeong, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Alongside the on-site crackdown, information booths promoting efforts to eliminate ticket scalping will operate outside stadiums. The booths will inform spectators how to report scalping and explain the penalties, while reports received on site will be forwarded to the relevant authorities for enforcement. Content promoting efforts to eliminate scalping will also be shown on stadium screens and shared through the KBO’s and clubs’ social media channels to encourage people to report suspected cases. Suspected ticket scalping can be reported through the “Integrated Reporting Website for Sports and Performance Ticket Scalping.”

The ministry plans to combine on-site guidance with online promotion so spectators can easily find information about reporting methods and penalties as they make their way to stadiums.

On August 28, when the revised National Sports Promotion Act took effect, the ministry designated the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation as the agency responsible for receiving reports of sports ticket scalping and launched a system to address the issue. Through October 7, a total of 90,000 reports of illegal sales in the sports sector had been received. Of the more than 47,000 reports after duplicate submissions were excluded, exposure restrictions were imposed on approximately 40,000 posts suspected of scalping. On October 6, the ministry requested police investigations into 121 people suspected of engaging in illegal transactions, including selling tickets at inflated prices or in large quantities.

Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, “The opportunity to attend games that fans have been waiting for all autumn must not be turned into an unfair profit for ticket scalpers. We will work with the police, the KBO, the clubs, and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation to respond firmly to ticket scalping, from online platforms to stadiums, and to ensure follow-up measures so fans can buy tickets fairly and enjoy the games.” He added, “I urge sports fans to actively report suspected ticket scalping.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.