"Will the ticket scalping war ever end?" Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism moves to eradicate scalping in fall baseball... Intensive crackdown on all postseason games starting today (the 14th), urging active reporting

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Can the unresolved issue of ticket scalping, a persistent challenge in professional baseball that has written its own box-office history every season, finally be eradicated? The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is stepping in directly to launch a large-scale crackdown.

In response to the start of the professional baseball postseason on the 14th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will cooperate with the National Police Agency, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), each team, and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation to crack down on ticket scalping at the venues hosting all fall baseball games and in surrounding areas.

This measure aims to suppress illegal sales during the fall baseball period, when demand for tickets is concentrated, and to ensure fair viewing opportunities for baseball fans.

Along with the implementation of the revised "National Sports Promotion Act" on August 28, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism designated the sports foundation as an institutional investor for reporting sports ticket scalping and has been operating a response system based on public reports and online monitoring. As of the 7th, a total of 90,000 reports of illegal sales in the sports sector were received. Among the approximately 47,000 cases after excluding duplicates, access to approximately 40,000 suspicious posts was restricted. For 121 individuals suspected of illegal transactions such as high-priced or bulk sales, an investigation was requested from the police on October 6. In this postseason, anti-scalping efforts will be strengthened by conducting crackdowns not only online but also on-site.

■ Intensive inspections at ticket booths and main entrances for all postseason games; Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, police, and baseball industry collaborate to detect, investigate, and impose surcharges on-site

On-site crackdowns will be conducted at the relevant stadium and surrounding areas on all fall baseball game days starting from the 14th. The timing, zones, and personnel for the crackdowns are expected to be operated according to on-site conditions in line with the actual game schedule. In particular, suspicious illegal sales activities, such as seeking buyers or selling tickets in bulk around the stadium during peak hours before games when spectators gather, will be checked. Areas where ticket scalping is a concern, including ticket booths, main entrances, and nearby gathering spots, will be intensively inspected.

To facilitate this on-site crackdown, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the National Police Agency and responsible police stations, the sports foundation, and the KBO have established a communication system to swiftly share information on suspicious transactions and reports. If cases suspected of ticket scalping, such as bulk sales, are discovered on-site, they will be immediately reported to the police, and support will be provided for securing materials necessary to verify transaction circumstances. Crackdown and reporting results for each game, along with major cases, will also be shared to reflect in the crackdown zones and response methods for subsequent games.

■ On-site promotion alongside major games; encouraging fans to actively report ticket scalping

Along with on-site crackdowns, anti-scalping promotional booths will be operated outside the stadium on days when major games are held. At the promotional booths, spectators will be informed about how to report ticket scalping and penalty standards, and reports received on-site will be passed to relevant institutional investors to link with crackdown efforts. Anti-scalping promotional content will also be broadcast through stadium scoreboards and KBO/team social networking services (SNS) to encourage participation in reporting. On-site guidance and online promotion will be pursued together so that spectators can easily access information on reporting methods and penalty standards while visiting the stadium.

Suspected cases of ticket scalping can be reported through the "Integrated Reporting Website for Sports and Performance Ticket Scalping." Public reports are a crucial foundation for identifying suspicious transactions and responding to illegal sales, and reward payments will be made in accordance with the requirements and procedures under relevant laws and regulations.

Choe Hui-young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "The viewing opportunities of fans who have been waiting for fall baseball must not return as unfair profits for ticket scalpers. To ensure that fans can purchase tickets fairly and enjoy the games, we will closely cooperate with the police, KBO, teams, and the sports foundation to respond strictly to ticket scalping transactions from online to on-site at stadiums and strive for follow-up measures." He also urged sports fans to actively report suspected cases of ticket scalping.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original