Unauthorized Online Sales of Self-Defense Tools Rise
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Online sales of unauthorized pepper spray and other self-defense items have recently jumped amid the increasing crime rate.
The unauthorized possession of such ``illegal weapons'' is subject to up to 10 years in prison or a 20 million won ($14,000) fine, police said Tuesday.
Seven-hundred and seventy cans of pepper spray made in the United States were sold through an online auction site here. They look like ordinary pepper spray but used compressed air, classifying them as gas guns requiring police authorization for possession and trade. They can spray pepper up to three meters until their contents are depleted.
Pepper sprays made in Korea use a pump to bypass rules requiring authorization ― spraying occurs in limited amounts with the touch of a button.
The online seller has halted sales since they were revealed to be illegal, but no one has yet reported buying the items to police.
``You could be ignorant of the law, but possession is still illegal,'' a police spokesman said.