Revised National Sports Promotion Act to Take Effect August 28
Readiness at the Field and Joint Response System Under Review
On July 23, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it had held a “Coordination Meeting for Implementation of the Professional Baseball Anti-Scalping Law” at the MMCA Seoul, along with representatives from the National Police Agency, Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), 10 professional baseball teams, ticket agencies, the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, and the Korea Professional Sports Association.
This meeting was organized in anticipation of the revised “National Sports Promotion Act” taking effect on August 28, and was designed to review on-site preparation in professional baseball, as well as to inspect a joint response system ranging from reporting and monitoring illegal purchases and sales of tickets, to collecting evidence of violations, investigation, and enforcement.
The Ministry explained the key details of the amended law and the operation plan for official ticket fraud reporting agencies, while also reviewing KBO, team, and ticket agency preparedness and response plans, as well as inter-agency cooperation points. Participating agencies agreed to establish an organic joint response system that not only focuses on post-facto punishment for scalping, but also encompasses prevention measures such as reporting and monitoring of illegal purchases and sales, along with subsequent investigation and enforcement across the entire process.
KBO and the teams will update their ticket sales agreements and membership policies, and plan to impose effective sanctions including restricting pre-orders and suspending or revoking memberships for season ticket holders or paid members found to have engaged in fraudulent transactions. In addition, their websites and apps will provide access to official reporting channels, and key elements of the amended law, as well as the risks of scalping, will be actively communicated using scoreboard displays at stadiums, social media platforms, major games, and the postseason.
KBO and the teams, in collaboration with the police and ticket agencies, will expand on-site inspections during significant games and boost anti-scalping activities, while jointly tackling habitual and organized scalping operations.
Ticket agencies will upgrade their systems to better detect unusual transactions, such as abnormal mass purchases, frequent logins, and repeated cancellations. If a user is suspected of illegal purchases, the agency will require an explanation; if the explanation is insufficient, measures such as cancellation of ticket transactions and account restrictions will be implemented. Internal procedures will also be revised to swiftly provide transaction and access information to official reporting and investigative agencies upon request.
The National Police Agency is currently preparing guidelines for interpreting the amended law, investigation procedures, and cooperative systems with the Ministry and reporting agencies. Based on these frameworks, the police intend to begin investigations immediately upon confirmation of violations and respond strictly to illegal purchases and sales from the early phase of the law’s enforcement.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to finalize and supplement agency collaboration systems, reporting and data submission procedures, association and group preparation status, and the operational systems of reporting agencies before the law takes effect. Additionally, it will focus publicity efforts at key touchpoints for fans—including stadiums, ticketing websites and apps, and team social media accounts—in partnership with professional baseball associations and organizations, making it clear that all scalping transactions will unequivocally result in sanctions and disadvantages at the field level.
Lee Sunyoung, Director of the Sports Bureau at the Ministry, stated, “Scalping deprives fans of fair ticket opportunities and undermines the integrity of the professional sports market. Related agencies will present a united front, leaving no gaps in responses from blocking illegal purchases to reporting, investigation, and enforcement.” She added, “The Ministry will not just stop at putting the law into effect, but will continue inspections and take strong actions until tangible improvements are achieved, creating a fair environment for professional sports spectatorship.”
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Park Geun-chan, Secretary General of KBO, said, “KBO and all 10 teams see eradicating scalping as a top priority to protect fans’ rights and the integrity of the league. We will ramp up controls against illegal transactions at the ticketing and entry stage, intensify sanctions on violators, and work closely with the Ministry, police, ticket agencies, and other related groups to take firm action against scalping as a matter of principle.”
This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.
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