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| Illegal replica guns are on a display after being confiscated by the police in this photo taken in 2010. Korea Times file |
By Yi Whan-woo
The number of weapons purchased directly from overseas online malls are on a sharp rise, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said Thursday, warning that the shipment of such goods into the country without authorization is illegal.
The customs agency said the number of attempts to bring in illegal weapons through international shipping started to rise from late 2019 at around the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
"Direct purchases of goods from overseas became a more popular shopping trend since then, and this trend includes buying weapons from online stores outside the country," the KCS said in a press release.
Among the illegal shipments were firearms and components, weapon scopes and sights, crossbows, stun guns and replica guns.
A total of 2,578 cases of smuggling attempts were reported in 2019, 1672 in 2020, 2,076 in 2021 and 951 in the first half of 2022.
All these items require authorization from the commissioner general of the National Police Agency in advance for customs clearance. Any violators are subject to a prison sentence of up to 15 years or a fine of a maximum of 100 million won ($76,000).
"All these goods are categorized as items that can threaten lives and public safety," the KCS said, adding, "Caution is needed as shoppers can face punishment for the shipment of unauthorized weapons even if their intention was harmless."
The KCS said it is especially paying attention to replica guns and other non-firearms that are not made specifically to injure or kill someone but can do so if they are used incorrectly.
For instance, a gunpowder-propelled nail gun used at construction site can be fatal if used against a person.
In case of stun guns, they are considered self-defense tools but can still seriously injure people, so their sale is restricted.
Accordingly, the customs agency plans to tighten x-ray scanning at airports and seaports and also enhance its campaign against individuals possessing weapons.
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