'Real Guns' Entered Korea... Gang Arrested for Manufacturing and Selling Pistols and Rifles Using Illegal Imported Parts

Disguised Import of Real Gun Parts from US Gun Site Assembled with Replica Guns

Same Model 'Ghost Gun' Used by Virginia Tech Shooter Cho Seung-hui

Seized plastic automatic pistol Glock. [Image source=Busan Police Agency]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Seven members of a group who supplied ‘real guns’ of the same model used in the Virginia Tech shooting incident in the U.S. were arrested in Busan.

The revelation that firearms have been illegally distributed domestically has caused shock.

Busan Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 1st that they arrested seven members of a group who imported firearms with the same performance as real guns from overseas, assembled and manufactured them, and sold them, detaining one person.

The Violent Crime Investigation Unit of Busan Metropolitan Police Agency (Chief Superintendent Park Jun-kyung) designated this case as Investigation Unit Briefing Case No. 1 in consideration of the seriousness of the incident and for the prevention of similar crimes.

According to the investigation unit, members of an internet cafe club, including soldiers and civilians, disguised actual firearm parts imported from overseas and combined them with mock firearm parts to manufacture and sell rifles and pistols with the same functions as real firearms. The main suspect, Mr. A (male) in his 40s, was detained.

The police received intelligence that the group was manufacturing and selling homemade firearms and launched a close joint investigation with related agencies such as the military police and the Korea Customs Service.

Simultaneous and multiple searches were conducted at residences and offices, resulting in the seizure of a total of 138 firearms, including five pistols, one rifle, live ammunition, and firearm parts.

In particular, the firearms manufactured by the group were confirmed through firing tests to have the same functions as real firearms and are known as ‘Ghost Guns,’ which were used as weapons in a mass shooting incident in the U.S.

Ghost Guns are firearms made from P80 assembly kits without serial numbers, making them difficult to trace, and are made of polymer material, making them undetectable by metal detectors. They were used in incidents such as the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting by Cho Seung-hui and are targeted by the Biden administration’s gun control policies.

Seized replica firearms and real guns. [Image source=Busan Police Agency]

The group disguised firearm parts purchased from U.S. gun websites as imports starting from March last year. It was revealed that they assembled firearm parts by watching videos posted on internet media and manufactured and sold finished rifles and pistols.

It was also confirmed that they collected live ammunition near military bases using metal detectors and manufactured blank cartridges using imported gunpowder and dummy bullets, then practiced shooting.

The police shared information about firearm parts lists and crime methods that are not filtered during customs clearance with the Korea Customs Service and requested improvements in import customs procedures.

The police stated, “Crimes involving the manufacture and distribution of firearms can be exploited for large-scale casualties or terrorist acts,” and added, “We regard the illegal import, manufacture, and distribution of firearm-related parts as serious crimes and will respond strongly.”