By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

South Korea, touted as one of few countries relatively free from gun-related crimes, is at risk of losing its reputation due to lax regulations and increased smuggling of air rifles and other weapons.

Obtaining high-powered toy guns that are strong enough to injure humans has also become easier thanks to the Internet where such weapon-like toys are available.

On Aug. 22, a 59-year-old barmaid was gunned down at a hotel in southeastern Seoul by her boss, identified by Seo. She was found shot four times and stabbed several times at the scene, police said.

"A rude remark to the boss was the key reason for him to pull the air rifle trigger," said an officer at the Songpa Police Station. Seo was arrested.

On the same day, the Paju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province arrested a 62-year-old man, identified as Bang, for shooting his friend with an air rifle in a fit of anger.

Police later found Seo had been convicted three times of violence and Bang convicted five times on similar charges.

Despite the criminal records, current regulations fell short of keeping them away from the dangerous air rifles and other weapons.

Under the current law, those who have been convicted of crimes can buy potentially life-threatening weapons, including air rifles and explosives, three years after they are released.

The current rules are so generous that even those with mental disabilities have no problem in obtaining air guns, experts said.

Police said Seo was previously diagnosed with a mental disorder and had received medical treatment since 2006.

Allowing him to use a weapon was seen as extremely risky, however, police allowed him to use a shotgun after he submitted a letter issued from a hospital that stated that he was "OK" to possess the weapon.

Neither an independent mental checkup nor additional police questioning was conducted.

An air rifle owner, who recently earned approval to use a rifle from police, said "A nurse ordered me to lower and raise my arms and asked a couple of questions. That's all I needed to do to earn approval."

An officer in Gyeonggi Province said they have no other choice but to believe the hospital statement. "It's uncertain if the statement was written based on a thorough medical checkup. But it is the only reliable document we have," the officer said.

Air rifles are controlled by much looser regulations than rifles, which are available for about four months a year, during which hunting is legally allowed. Except for that period, the rifle must be stored at police stations. Unlike this, however, air rifles under 5.5-milimeter in caliber are available all year regardless of how powerful they are.

Seo used an air rifle with a caliber of under 5-millimeters in his rampage but police said he illegally increased its power to harm the victim.

According to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, more than 168,175 air rifles were circulating as of late last year.

Police have launched a full-scale crackdown on illegally remodeled air rifles since July. But the authorities still have no information about how many of them have been illegally remodeled.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr