Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Warns: "No Entry for Those Who Buy Scalped BTS Tickets! Random Inspections Will Be Conducted"

 Original article: Sport Seoul
 
 
Four suspected cases of high-priced scalped BTS tickets totaling 105 tickets... Police investigation requested
High risk and fraud... Public urged to use official ticketing channels





With just ten days remaining until BTS's Gwanghwamun concert, unscrupulous individuals exploiting the group's popularity are actively circulating illegal resale tickets. In response, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (hereafter MCST) has declared a war on scalpers and issued a warning to concertgoers. 

The MCST reported that, after closely monitoring major online secondhand marketplaces related to BTS's Gwanghwamun and Goyang performances, they identified a total of 1,868 posts (including duplicates) violating ticketing policies, such as the one-ticket-per-person limit and the prohibition on ticket transfers.

Among these, four cases involving 105 tickets were flagged as suspected illegal scalping—where multiple tickets for the same performance were being sold at high premiums—and the MCST requested an investigation by the National Police Agency. 




According to the organizers, for BTS's Gwanghwamun concert:

● QR codes cannot be captured for reuse. 
● Tickets cannot be reissued or rescanned after the first use. 

During entry, all attendees will undergo:

● Identity verification with designated ID, accompanied by a wristband that cannot be reapplied if removed or damaged. 
● Wristband checks when moving in and out of areas such as restrooms. 
● Random on-site identity verification even after entry. 

If violations are discovered, individuals will be immediately from the venue. These measures aim to completely block any attempts to transfer tickets. 




In addition, authorities will continue monitoring online postings to detect transactions that violate ticketing policies. If sellers fail to provide a satisfactory explanation, their reservations may be canceled.

An MCST official stated, "Under ticketing policy, even if someone purchases a scalped ticket, strict identity verification procedures effectively make it impossible to attend the concert."

They further emphasized that purchasing a scalped ticket for a BTS concert could result paying a high price yet still being unable to enter the performance. Fans and anyone planning to attend are strongly advised to exercise extreme caution when purchasing tickets. 




Meanwhile, the ministry has recently begun implementing stricter legal measures against the resale of scalped ticket for popular performances, which has emerged as a growing social issue. To address this problem, the government revised the Performance Art and the National Sports Promotion Act on the 27th of last month. The revisions prohibit all forms of fraudulent ticket transactions, regardless of whether automates "macro" programs are used. 

Those caught violating the rules may face penalties of up to 50 times the ticket's sale price, along with the introduction of whistleblower rewards and new obligations for businesses to implement measures preventing illegal transactions. 

MCST Minister Choi Hwi-young strongly criticized scalping, stating, "Ticket scalping disrupts the fair distribution order of the performance market and exploits fans' genuine love for popular culture. It is a serious social problem. 

He added, " Starting with this request for investigation, we will continue to take firm and sustained action until ticket scalping is eradicated and a fair concert-going culture is established. Scalping will disappear if there are no buyers. Not only does purchasing scalped tickets violate the organizer's ticketing policy, but due to strengthen on-site identity verification procedures, the transfer such as tickets is practically impossible. There is also a significant risk of fraud, including sellers disappearing after the sale. Tickets must be purchased only through official ticketing platforms."

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