Single-person stores are relatively more exposed to danger
Police permission required for possession of some self-defense items
As a series of 'random crimes' continue, anxiety is rapidly spreading among small business owners who run their shops alone.
In recent months, violent crimes such as weapon attacks, sexual assaults, and murders have occurred in everyday places like subway stations and hiking trails, raising ongoing concerns about public safety.
In particular, owners and employees working alone in small businesses such as lottery shops, beauty salons, flower shops, and cafes are expressing relatively greater anxiety.
On the 10th, in Incheon, a man in his 40s was booked by the police on suspicion of committing obscene acts for four hours in a cafe where a female owner was alone in the morning.
The owner posted online, saying, "I saw on the closed-circuit television (CCTV) that a customer was committing obscene acts," and added, "After that, I didn’t want to work at the cafe anymore and have been having nightmares."
A beauty salon owner in her 40s from Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, said, "Compared to multi-use facilities where police are deployed, small stores operated as single-person shops are inevitably more vulnerable to crime."
Small Business Owners Seeking Self-Help Measures to Prepare for Possible Situations
A yellow emergency bell installed in the alley of Haengun-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@
As anxiety grows, small business owners are purchasing self-defense products or seeking self-help measures through private security companies to prepare for potential crisis situations that could occur at any time.
Kim (49), who runs a lottery sales shop in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, recently took out a gas gun stored in the shop’s cash cabinet and carefully checked whether it worked properly.
The gas gun, purchased 20 years ago after a robbery incident, had been practically left unused for a long time. However, he explained that he recently felt the need for it again due to the current unsettling social atmosphere.
He said, "You never know when or how a crime might happen, so you have to take at least minimal precautions," adding, "Other lottery shop owners probably feel the same way." In addition, Kim, the lottery shop owner, explained, "We installed an emergency bell inside the shop so that when the button is pressed in an emergency, a private security company immediately responds."
It is not only small business owners who feel anxious. Citizens are also stocking up on self-defense products, which can be easily purchased online without separate permission procedures, making these products popular.
On a website selling pistol-shaped self-defense sprays, reviews such as "I bought this for my older brother who works late hours as a self-employed person" and "I bought it because it felt dangerous while driving a taxi, and I am satisfied" were posted.
An industry official from the self-defense product sector said, "Single-store operators spend a lot of time alone, so their interest in self-defense products is high," and added, "They tend to prefer spray products that are easy to use."
Possibility of Criminal Punishment for Purchasing Without Police Permission
Recently, indiscriminate knife attacks have been occurring one after another, increasing citizens' anxiety and interest in self-defense products. [Photo by Yonhap News]
However, special caution is required as some self-defense products can lead to punishment if possessed without permission.
For gas sprays, products that are fired by 'compressed gas' require permission from the chief of the local police station, and permission is granted after checking mental health and criminal records. Products fired by pressing pressure do not require separate permission.
High-voltage electric shock devices are also subject to permission. Electric shock devices with a voltage of 10,000 to 20,000 volts (V), which can penetrate thin clothing, can be possessed by anyone. However, devices with 30,000 to 60,000 V require police permission.
Using self-defense products without police permission can result in imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to 10 million won.
Regulations on possession of self-defense products are expected to be strengthened in the future. This is because it was revealed that Choi Yoon-jong (30), the suspect in the Sillim-dong sexual assault and murder case, purchased a self-defense knuckle from an online shopping mall at the time of the crime, leading to calls for stricter regulations on possession of 'self-defense products.' Currently, ideas such as a 'buyer registration system' to register the personal information of self-defense product purchasers are being discussed at the idea level.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
