Police begin review of sword, knife weapon possession nationwide

The suspect in a recent murder by sword case speaks to reporters before entering the Seoul Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Thursday. (Yonhap)

The National Police Agency said Thursday it has begun a monthlong inspection on sword and knife weapon possession across the country and related regulations, in response to a man attacking another resident of an apartment complex in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul with a sword, killing him.

The South Korean police immediately began a detailed review of the 82,641 swords registered as under individual possession in the country, set to continue until Aug. 31. It includes checking criminal records, reports of domestic violence related to each sword owner and collecting feedback from the police in each owner's jurisdiction.

If police believe the possession of a sword or knife weapon presents a potential threat, they can request the owner to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. The officials can then deliberate whether to revoke the weapon permit based on their assessment, or order the owner to store the weapon at a location they deem appropriate.

Refusing inspection can be punished by up to a 3 million won ($2,200) fine, and those not complying with an order to store their sword or knife weapon at a separate location could be fined 10 million won or jailed for five years.

People with a recent criminal record will have any sword permit revoked, as Korea's Control of Firearms, Knives, Swords, Explosives, Etc. Act bans anyone with mental illness, alcohol or illegal drug addiction and those who have served sentences less than five years prior from owning swords.

Following several high-profile stabbings since last summer, concerns over the safety of swords and knife weapons were reignited Monday after a 37-year-old man murdered another man with a 120-centimeter-long Japanese sword, allegedly under the false belief that the victim was a spy following him. It was found that the weapon had been legally registered and authorized by the police, touching off fears that Korea's policy on sword and knife weapon possession is too lenient.

The law mandates registration of any blade over 15 centimeters in length, as well as shorter blades that pose a danger of being used as a lethal weapon. The owner can only use the blade for permitted purposes, usually as a decoration.

The regulations for sword or knife weapon possession are far less strict than those for firearm possession. Gun owners are required to keep their weapons at nearby police stations and renew their permit every three years, but no such regulation exists for sword or knife weapon owners.

Thus, the police has no way of knowing if a sword owner has committed a recent crime or suffers from any condition that could make them ineligible to own the weapon.

As mentioned above, a sword or knife weapon permit application should be accompanied by documents to verify one's physical and mental health, just as with a gun permit. But unlike for guns, people applying for a sword permit are exempt from having the submit such papers if they have a valid driver's license.

In order to address this issue, the police said they will revise the regulation to mandate potential sword owners to submit documents on their mental health status. They will also revise the regulation on permit renewals, while pushing for revision of the related law.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)