![Tickets found during a search and seizure operation [Gyeonggi Northern Police Agency]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/16/news-p.v1.20260916.16749260ddbd498c900a174f7e3fe7c2_P1.jpg)
A scalper who resold tickets to concerts by domestic and foreign artists has been arrested and referred to prosecutors.
The Gyeonggi Northern Police Agency's Cyber Crime Investigation Unit 2 said Wednesday it had detained a man in his 30s, identified only as A, on charges of obstruction of business and handed him over to prosecutors.
A is accused of purchasing 8,967 tickets to popular concerts and sporting events between September 2018 and April, then reselling them at a markup.
Total sales amounted to about 2.4 billion won ($1.77 million), roughly two-thirds of which police believe was profit.
A primarily used macro programs and accounts belonging to family members and relatives to bulk-purchase tickets.
He had joined the country's largest scalper group chat on social media — which police shut down earlier this year — and used it to obtain scalping tips and macro programs.
He then resold the tickets by changing delivery addresses, transferring tickets online, and handing over entry wristbands at concert venues.
Among his transactions, A bought a BTS concert ticket at Jamsil Olympic Stadium in 2019 for 110,000 won and resold it for 3 million won. He also purchased a Seventeen fan meeting ticket in 2025 for 110,000 won and flipped it for 1.8 million won.
He bought a 2024 Team K League vs. Tottenham match ticket for 400,000 won and sold it for 1.65 million won, and acquired a ticket to Bruno Mars' 2023 Korea concert for 250,000 won before reselling it for 1.2 million won — marking up prices by as much as roughly 30 times.
A had no steady employment after graduating from university and lived off scalping proceeds, which he used to purchase one apartment and two commercial properties in Gyeonggi Province, according to the investigation.
He had already sold the apartment. Police identified 1.26 billion won in criminal proceeds — including the two commercial properties and bonds held in A's name — and secured a pre-indictment confiscation order.
After seeing news reports in March about the arrest of a "large-scale scalper cartel," A attempted to destroy evidence by wiping his computer and mobile phone.
He also shut down a business he had registered to make his scalping operation appear legitimate.
Police said they are continuing their investigation into scalping networks, including the group chat mentioned above.
123@heraldcorp.com
