Bullet used in the Incheon homemade firearm murder case (Photo courtesy of Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency)
INCHEON, July 23 (Korea Bizwire) — In the wake of a shocking patricide involving a homemade gun in Incheon’s Songdo district, a South Korean lawmaker has announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at closing loopholes around illegal firearm production and distribution.
Rep. Jung Il-young of the Democratic Party said Monday he will soon propose revisions to the nation’s “Firearms, Knives and Explosives Safety Control Act.” The move comes after a 62-year-old man fatally shot his 33-year-old son with a self-made gun last Saturday on the 33rd floor of their apartment building.
Police said the suspect, identified only as Mr. A, confessed to learning how to make the weapon via YouTube. He told investigators he had stored bullets purchased two decades ago in a warehouse.
Jung said the current law lacks clarity on what constitutes illegal gun-making, and is particularly ineffective at addressing foreign nationals who circulate weapon blueprints and tutorials online.
His proposed amendment would explicitly criminalize the act of manufacturing firearms at home and stiffen penalties for disseminating related information online.
Lawmaker Pushes Bill to Crack Down on DIY Firearms Following Incheon Killing (Image supported by ChatGPT)
“This revision seeks to clearly outlaw homemade firearm production and bolster penalties for those who share related materials,” said Jung. “We also aim to introduce criminal liability and takedown obligations for those who post or distribute such content.”
The legislation reflects growing concern over the accessibility of online gun-making instructions and the challenges in enforcing domestic law against overseas content creators.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
