Voluntary Reporting Period for Illegal Firearms Extended
The National Police Agency announced on July 23 that it will implement measures in response to the 'Incheon Songdo homemade firearm incident,' including extending the voluntary reporting period for illegal firearms and strengthening online monitoring.
Procedure for Requesting Deletion and Blocking of Illegal Online Posts. Provided by the National Police Agency
The police will operate a voluntary reporting period for illegal firearms in August and September 2025. Individuals or their representatives can report by directly visiting a nearby police station or a military unit operating a reporting center to submit illegal firearms. Those who voluntarily report within this period will be exempt from criminal and administrative penalties.
The police will also strengthen monitoring of online channels through which illegal manufacturing posts are distributed, aiming to proactively block the spread of illegal information related to homemade firearms and explosives. Inspections of illegal manufacturing posts will primarily utilize the maximum available police personnel and involve cooperation with Nuricops, the cyber honorary police force.
The police are also planning to introduce an AI-based real-time monitoring system to the existing firearms and explosives management system, automating the entire process from detecting illegal posts to requesting their deletion and blocking by the Korea Communications Standards Commission.
An official from the National Police Agency stated, "The distribution of homemade firearms is a serious crime that threatens the lives of citizens. We will hold all those involved in manufacturing, selling, or possessing such weapons fully accountable and ensure they are punished. We will mobilize all available resources to eradicate the distribution of homemade firearms and swiftly alleviate public anxiety."
Previously, a man in his 60s who killed his son with a homemade firearm in Songdo, Incheon, stated that he learned how to make the weapon from YouTube. According to the police and other sources, Mr. A (63), who was urgently arrested on charges of murder and violating the Act on the Safety Control of Firearms, Swords, and Explosives, reportedly told investigators that he "learned how to make the firearm from YouTube." It was found that Mr. A used a pipe-shaped homemade firearm to fire two shotgun rounds in succession, each containing multiple metal pellets.
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