'10 Times Profit Fine' for Ticket Scalping in Performances and Sports... Whistleblower Reward System Introduced

Report on "Eradication Measures" Presented at Cabinet Meeting on the 11th
Consideration of Raising Penalty to Up to 10-30 Times Upon Detection

Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is giving a proposal explanation related to the 2026 budget at the plenary meeting of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held on the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News

The government is moving to eradicate ticket scalping (illegal resale) in the performance and sports sectors, including K-pop concerts and professional baseball games, by introducing a fine of at least 10 times the illicit profit and establishing a reward system for whistleblowers.

On November 11, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwee-Young Choi reported the "Measures to Eradicate Ticket Scalping in the Performance and Sports Sectors" to President Lee Jaemyung during a Cabinet meeting. Minister Choi stated, "Ticket scalping undermines the trust of ordinary fans, creators, and the entire market, and must be stopped. We will introduce fines that result in much greater economic losses than the illicit gains obtained."

Currently, the Performing Arts Act and the National Sports Promotion Act only allow for criminal penalties or fines to be imposed on ticket scalpers, which has been criticized as insufficient to deter such activities. To address this, the government plans to introduce an administrative penalty system that allows for immediate fines to be imposed.

President Lee Jaemyung instructed, "Consider raising the upper limit to 10 to 30 times the total sales amount. Also, ensure the introduction of a whistleblower reward system and review the option of paying 10% of the imposed fine as a reward."

To enhance the effectiveness of crackdowns on ticket scalping, the government will also establish a whistleblower reward program. Discussions are underway on providing rewards amounting to several times the reported amount to individuals who report ticket scalping activities. Minister Choi commented, "As transactions are becoming increasingly covert, we will cooperate with enforcement agencies to respond effectively."

In addition, the government plans to address the limitations of current laws, which only penalize scalping involving macro programs in the ticketing process for performances and sports events, by expanding the scope of enforcement to include all ticket resale activities conducted at a premium.

Furthermore, the government will pursue an integrated bill that consolidates the scattered enforcement regulations found in individual laws such as the Performing Arts Act and the National Sports Promotion Act into a unified management system. The goal is to systematically manage ticket scalping activities by enhancing regulatory consistency and the speed of enforcement.