With Halloween Approaching... Police Uniform Costumes Still Openly Sold

Firefighter Costumes Also Subject to Penalties

"Police uniform costumes are illegal. Please help keep everyone safe."

On the afternoon of the 28th, three days before Halloween, a banner was hung on Itaewon Street in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, requesting people not to wear police uniform costumes on Halloween. This measure was taken to prevent confusion caused by police costumes on Halloween day. However, police uniform costumes are still openly being sold on online shopping malls and secondhand trading platforms.

Police uniform costumes sold on secondhand trading platforms and online shopping malls. Screen capture

On the 29th, searching for "police costume" on a portal site revealed that police uniform costumes were being sold by various vendors. Some businesses, due to years of ongoing police crackdowns, had stopped selling these costumes or only offered rental services for specific purposes. However, it was still possible to purchase police uniform costumes through overseas sites such as those in Japan.

Numerous posts offering police uniform costumes for sale could also be found on various secondhand trading platforms. While some platforms had designated "police uniform" as a prohibited search term or posted notices asking users not to trade police uniforms, some sellers were still managing to sell police costume products.

The reason police strengthen crackdowns on the personal trade of police uniform costumes ahead of Halloween every year is due to criticism that, during the 10·29 Itaewon disaster, people wearing police costumes were mistaken for real officers, which exacerbated confusion at the scene.

Wearing a police uniform in public can also be a legal issue. Under current law, it is illegal for anyone other than a police officer to wear a police uniform or similar attire, or to possess police equipment. Violators may face up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 3 million won, while sellers may be sentenced to up to one year in prison or fined up to 10 million won. Even if the uniform is a costume and not an actual police uniform, individuals can still be prosecuted if caught.

Firefighter costumes are also subject to punishment. Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Minor Offenses Act stipulates that anyone who, without proper qualification, uses uniforms, medals, badges, commemorative medals, insignia, or similar items prescribed by law, may be fined up to 100,000 won, detained, or subjected to a minor fine.

Lee Yunho, Distinguished Professor of Police Studies at Korea Cyber University, said, "In reality, it is physically impossible for the police to crack down on every costume transaction," adding, "Individuals trading costumes on online platforms or secondhand markets need to recognize that they should refrain from such transactions and take responsibility."