Police will crack down on ticket scalping around the venue ahead of the BTS world tour concert in Busan. Plainclothes officers will be deployed on site to catch covert ticket resales, and uniformed patrols will run in parallel.
According to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency on the 8th, police will conduct an intensive crackdown on ticket scalping at the "BTS WORLD TOUR IN BUSAN" concert to be held at Busan Asiad Main Stadium from the 12th to the 13th.
Police will deploy about 70 officers to dedicated enforcement and inspection teams around the venue. The teams will be divided into six squads to operate in the area, and plainclothes personnel will be assigned to monitor on-site ticket transactions. Uniformed patrols will also be conducted to deter the impulse to engage in ticket transactions.
Reselling tickets on site at a markup can be punished as ticket scalping under the Minor Offenses Act. Buying tickets using a macro (auto-input program) and reselling them at a markup may constitute violations of the National Sports Promotion Act and the Public Performance Act.
Police will also install anti-scalping banners produced not only in Korean but in English, Chinese, and Japanese around the venue. The measure is intended to guide domestic and overseas fans so they do not fall victim to ticket transactions.
The crackdown is being pursued in line with the government's policy to root out crimes that disrupt everyday prices. Police say scalping can deprive fans of a fair chance to attend and could negatively affect order at K-pop concerts and the national image.
An investigation into alleged lodging price gouging ahead of the concert is also underway. The anti-corruption and economic crime unit of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency is investigating Busan-area lodging businesses on suspicion of fraud for allegedly canceling existing reservations and reselling the same rooms at higher prices.
Busan City and related agencies will also activate traffic and safety measures during the concert period. The Busan Transportation Corporation will extend metro operating hours by one hour and add a total of 220 train runs on Lines 1–4. At Sports Complex Station on Line 3, which is near the venue, additional safety support personnel will be deployed, and depending on crowding, entrances, fare gates, and platforms will be controlled.