The initiative, set to run through April, will allow people to turn in unlicensed firearms, explosives, and other restricted weapons without criminal or administrative consequences.
Weapons eligible for surrender include unlicensed or revoked firearms, explosives, swords, stun guns, sprayers, and crossbows. Individuals seeking to retain surrendered weapons may apply for a permit under the Firearms and Explosives Control Act, a regulation that subjects those wishing to own arms to a background check.
Weapons can be turned in at police stations, precincts, police boxes, or designated military units.
After the amnesty ends, individuals caught manufacturing, selling, or possessing illegal weapons face prison terms of three to 15 years or fines ranging from 30 million to 100 million won (U.S. 22,000–74,000 dollars). Those unable to surrender weapons during the designated period due to extenuating circumstances should contact local authorities to arrange submission, the police said.
Authorities are distributing multilingual posters in English, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Russian to encourage participation among foreigners.
The annual amnesty program that ran last September resulted in the surrender of 66,458 items, including 481 firearms and 63,930 rounds of ammunition.
In South Korea, which remains technically at war with North Korea, civilian ownership of firearms is nearly impossible -- even for hunting or sport shooting. Those seeking permission must undergo extensive background and psychological evaluations. Approved firearms are kept at local police stations and must be checked and inspected by police officers each time they are used for authorized purposes.
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