A Teen Wearing Fake Handcuffs for Fun Encounters a Police Officer with Real Handcuffs

Handcuffed Himself and Couldn't Unlock Without Key
Possession of Police-Like Equipment Prohibited Under Police Uniform Act

A teenage boy who wore handcuffs for fun during the Lunar New Year holiday and was unable to remove them, wearing them for three days, was arrested by the police. On the 19th, the Gangwon Provincial Police Agency announced that on the 11th, they received a report that a man wearing handcuffs was eating at a restaurant in Wonju, Gangwon Province. Police who responded to the report took Mr. A outside the restaurant to investigate the circumstances of the handcuffs. Mr. A stated that he wore the handcuffs as a prank during the holiday and could not remove them because he did not have the key, so he wore them for three days.

On the 19th, the YouTube channel of the National Police Agency uploaded a video titled "Put on handcuffs for fun but actually got arrested?!". In the video, Mr. A was wearing an old-fashioned police handcuff on one wrist at a restaurant.
[Photo by YouTube channel 'Gyeongchalcheong']

The police also released footage of the incident on the police agency’s YouTube channel. In the video, Mr. A is seen eating inside the restaurant with one hand cuffed. He explained to the responding officers, "I picked these up and wore them, and this is what happened." The police stated, "Wearing handcuffs can cause misunderstandings with others," and added, "With the enactment of the Police Uniform Act, it is prohibited to wear or carry police equipment or similar equipment."

When Mr. A asked, "Are these really police handcuffs?" the officer replied, "Even if they are not police handcuffs, they are still handcuffs." Ultimately, Mr. A was arrested on the spot for violating the Act on the Regulation of Police Uniforms and Police Equipment. Police investigation revealed that the handcuffs worn by Mr. A were an old model produced in the early 2000s. Unlike the new model currently in use, they did not have a serial number, so it was not possible to confirm exactly which agency had used them.

Since its enforcement in 2021, Article 9 of the Police Uniform Act stipulates that "No one shall wear, use, or carry a similar police uniform." Violators are subject to imprisonment for up to six months or a fine, detention, or penalty not exceeding 3 million won. However, exceptions are made for cultural or artistic performances, various commemorative events organized by the government, as well as educational or advertising activities for crime prevention, traffic safety, and other safety culture purposes.