Jeju Recycling Bin Contains 10 Live Bullets... "Kept Since Discharge Decades Ago"

During House Cleaning, Wife Found and Disposed
60s Holder Charged with Violation of Firearms and Safety Control Act

A man in his 60s is under investigation by the police after carrying live ammunition when he was discharged from the military decades ago.

On the 24th, Jeju Dongbu Police Station announced that they have booked and are investigating a man in his 60s, Mr. A, on charges of possessing live ammunition without a permit (violation of the Act on the Safety Control of Firearms, Swords, and Explosives).

Live ammunition found at a Clean House, a household waste disposal facility in the Jeju area
[Photo by Jeju Dongbu Police Station, Yonhap News]

Mr. A had kept about 10 rounds of live ammunition that he took during his military service decades ago at his home for a long time. One day, his wife found the live rounds while cleaning and carelessly threw them into the plastic recycling bin at a nearby recycling center in their residential area after putting them in an envelope. At 6:53 p.m. on the 12th, the recycling center manager who found the ammunition immediately reported it to the police.

As a result of a joint on-site investigation by the police and the military, the ammunition was identified as rifle rounds manufactured in the 1970s to 1980s, with no risk of explosion or anti-aircraft suspicion. The police then tracked down Mr. A through neighborhood inquiries and closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the person who discarded the ammunition and apprehended him.

During the police investigation, Mr. A stated, "I took the rounds one by one during my long military service and brought them with me when I was discharged," adding, "I did not know it was wrong."

Under current law, anyone who wishes to possess firearms or ammunition must report to the police. Additionally, when disposing of live ammunition, the disposal procedures stipulated in the Act on the Safety Control of Firearms, Swords, and Explosives must be followed. According to Article 29 of this law, a person who wishes to dispose of explosives must report to the police chief in charge of the area where the disposal is to take place, in accordance with related enforcement regulations. After reporting, if the explosives to be disposed of are submitted to the competent police station, the police regularly transport them to other regions for disposal.

Meanwhile, on the 6th, 14 rounds of live ammunition were found in an old clothes collection bin at an apartment in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. After receiving a report from residents, the police requested joint action with the military and investigated the scene. The discovered ammunition was confirmed to have been manufactured in the United States in 1945.

A police official said, "There is no suspicion of anti-aircraft use, and the bullets were old, so there was no risk of explosion." The police stated that they are tracking down the possessor of the ammunition and will dispose of the collected rounds.