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Police mull firearms release ban on day of Yoon's impeachment ruling

Published: 11 Mar. 2025, 13:02

A protester breaks into the Seoul Western District Court following the issuance of an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Jan. 19. [NEW1]

Police are reviewing whether to ban the release of hunting firearms from police stations on the day of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment ruling over concerns about their possible use in a terrorist attack, officials said Tuesday.

The National Police Agency is looking into instructing police stations nationwide to enforce a ban on the release of weapons registered for use in animal control.

By law, those who have permission to own and use firearms for animal control must store the weapons at a police station, but they can be taken out for the purpose of killing wild boar or birds, even after the usual hunting season ends in February.

Police are also considering tracking the location of gun owners in real-time via cellphone GPS on the day of the ruling, and reevaluating the purpose of firearm usage for those who have received permission to own such weapons in the past two months.

In 2017, police similarly banned the release of firearms used for animal control on the day of the impeachment ruling of then President Park Geun-hye.

A total of 106,678 firearms were reportedly owned by individuals and entities as of last year.

Yonhap