

By Kim Bo-eun

The government's ban on "beer men" at baseball stadiums has triggered an angered response from fans, for whom eating and drinking in their seats is as great a joy as watching the game.

"Beer men," seen in baseball stadiums in Korea and Japan, walk through the bleachers carrying a keg of draught beer, pouring it into cups upon order. In the United States, such vendors sell beer in plastic cups.

The National Tax Service (NTS) and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety decided to regulate the sales of beer in baseball stadiums starting this season, based on related laws.

According to the Liquor Tax Law, alcohol sales are allowed only at designated places, such as restaurants and bars, and "moving sales" are prohibited.

Government officials also said the ban is to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors, as "beer men" usually do not check buyers' IDs.

They also cited the World Health Organization's guidelines for reducing youth exposure and accessibility to alcohol.

The NTS and the ministry have ordered the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) to follow the law, and the KBO has applied the ban at stadiums based in Seoul, Suwon, Daegu and Busan where beer men previously sold alcohol.

Baseball fans can still buy canned beer at stores in the stadium.

After the ban was made public, hundreds of online comments appeared, saying, "What would baseball games be without chicken and beer?"

Fans are not only displeased about the fact that they now are unable to chug draught beer during games, but are also questioning the point of the ban to prevent minors from consuming alcohol.

"Now the government bans the small pleasure of drinking beer while watching the game," a blogger said. "You government officials probably do not know this kind of fun as you drink expensive imported whiskey."

Kwon Ha-na, a 29-year-old office worker and avid baseball fan, said that people are not allowed to bring alcohol into stadiums if they've bought it outside, only being able to purchase beer at stores within the stadiums.

"Staffers check bags when we enter the stadium to see whether we are bringing in alcohol from outside," she said. "But they don't even look properly. Plus convenience stores within stadiums do not check IDs. I honestly do not get the point."

The KBO's stance, however, is to follow the government's order.

"We have decided to follow the order because beer men's sales are against the law," a KBO official said.

However, he said that minors could be kept from purchasing beer if beer men check IDs, adding that banning beer men inconveniences spectators.

"Our stance is that we will discuss the issue with related parties and make gradual improvements," he said.

The official said beer men's sales are irrelevant to KBO's profits.