Individuals and company officials involved in importing illegal airsoft guns from China and selling them in South Korea have been apprehended by the police.
Replica guns seized by police from illegal airsoft gun dealers and individual sellers. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency
On June 25, the Morality Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it had arrested and is currently investigating the CEO of an airsoft gun sales company (in his 60s), an operator of the company (in his 30s), and another individual seller (in his 50s) on charges of violating the Firearms and Explosives Control Act. Article 11 of the Firearms and Explosives Control Act prohibits the manufacture, sale, and possession of replica guns that closely resemble real firearms. Violation of this law is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 5 million won.
According to the police, these individuals are accused of importing airsoft guns with removable color parts from China on May 22 and June 17, respectively, and selling them both online and offline. Airsoft guns, classified as toys, are required to have a non-removable colored part?known as a "color part"?such as yellow or orange attached to the muzzle. However, if this part is removed or the gun is otherwise modified, it is considered a replica gun under the law.
Notably, the airsoft guns distributed by the individual seller were found by the National Forensic Service to have destructive power seven times greater than the legal threshold (0.02 kgfm), making them capable of destroying cans with BB pellets.
The police seized 775 airsoft guns (worth approximately 190 million won) from the company and 45 airsoft guns (worth approximately 30 million won) from the individual seller.
A police official stated, "Those who purchased illegal airsoft guns from these suspects may also be charged with possession of replica firearms, so we are considering encouraging voluntary reporting. It is important to remember that not only the sale but also the possession of replica guns is prohibited, and carrying them in public places can result in aggravated punishment for possession of a dangerous weapon."
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