Korea's Music Industry Calls for Public Input on Combatting Ticket Scalping

In a recent push by the Korean music industry to curb the rampant issue of ticket scalping, the Record Label Industry Association of Korea has taken the significant step of converting their proposal for a legal revision into a public petition. On November 19, they had submitted their plea to the government, which has now led to the initiation of a 30-day period for public opinion collection. The government is obligated to reveal the outcomes of this consultation within the subsequent 90 days.

The Detriment of Ticket Scalping

The chairman of the association, Yoon Dong-hwan, has been vocal about the negative impact of ticket scalping. He likens the activity to a societal blight and advocates for legislation similar to the Railway Business Act to halt the resale of tickets at inflated prices. The existing laws in South Korea forbid selling tickets at higher prices at venues like stadiums and theaters, but don’t address online resales, creating a loophole for scalpers.

The Technological Edge of Scalpers

With technology's advancement, scalpers have gained new tools, such as macro programs which automate the ticket-buying process, snatching away the chance for average customers to buy at face value. Yoon's call for legal revision is strengthened by the upcoming changes that will make macro program purchases illegal from March next year but he emphasizes that detecting such purchases is almost impossible. Therefore, he urges the government to modernize the outdated ticket scalping law, which dates back 50 years.

While ticket scalping has always been a challenge, its growing sophistication through fraud and automated tools necessitates a robust legal framework to protect consumers and the integrity of the live event industry.

scalping, law, petition