Access to Harmful Information with a Simple Search
Concerns Over Copycat Crimes Spark Calls for a Dedicated Response Agency
Zero Homemade Gun Cases Detected in Five Years
Concerns are rising over the potential spread of copycat crimes after a man in his 60s who killed his son with a homemade gun in Incheon stated that he learned how to make the weapon through YouTube.
On July 22, Yonhap News reported that the man in his 60s, referred to as A, who was urgently arrested on charges including murder, testified during a police investigation the previous day that he "learned how to make a gun from YouTube." It was confirmed that during the crime, A used a homemade gun made from a metal pipe and fired three consecutive rounds of "shot" loaded with multiple metal balls.
A police line has been set up at the residence of the suspect who fired a homemade gun in Incheon on the 21st, resulting in the death of a family member. Photo by Yonhap News
During a press briefing, police stated, "The metal balls are very small, about the size of BB pellets," and explained, "The gun was made by cutting the pipe to fit its intended use." The revelation that A made an illegal weapon based on YouTube content has sparked criticism that information indiscriminately exposed online can easily be used for criminal purposes at any time. In fact, a simple search on YouTube and other online platforms yields numerous videos introducing various methods of making homemade guns and explaining how they work.
Police have been conducting intensive crackdowns on the dissemination of homemade gun manufacturing methods online in an effort to prevent copycat crimes following the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot with a homemade gun. However, police have stated that it is not easy to immediately block information uploaded from overseas. In particular, when content is posted on overseas platforms, it is often difficult to identify the uploader or there are no specific means of enforcement, making effective action challenging.
218 illegal firearms detected in five years, zero cases of homemade guns
Police conduct intensive crackdowns on illegal weapons every May and October and request the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block or delete videos related to gun manufacturing. However, a police official said, "We are also requesting blocks on overseas content, but new videos keep being uploaded, so there are limitations." This has led to calls for expanding the police crackdown network, given the dangers posed by homemade guns.
Incheon Yeonsu Police Station announced on the 21st that they are investigating a man in his 60s on suspicion of killing his son by firing a homemade gun at an apartment in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. The photo shows the bullets used in the crime. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the National Police Agency, 218 illegal firearms have been detected through intensive crackdowns on illegal weapons over the past five years. Among these, there have been zero cases involving homemade guns. A police official explained, "Most of the firearms detected are construction powder-actuated nail guns used at construction sites." Police crackdowns are understood to be based on intelligence from shooting ranges and the firearms industry, as well as information about guns sold on secondhand trading platforms.
Bae Sanghoon, a professor of police administration at Woosuk University, pointed out, "In the digital age, there is no fundamental way to block harmful information, and it is difficult to expect active cooperation from overseas platforms." Kwak Daekyung, a professor at Dongguk University's College of Police and Criminal Justice, stated, "There needs to be a dedicated agency responsible for monitoring illegal weapon manufacturing content and carrying out the process of deleting such materials as thoroughly as possible."
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