Are Guns Illegal in Korea? Permits, Foreigners, and Penalties

Guns are effectively illegal for civilians in South Korea. The Act on the Safety Management of Guns, Swords, and Explosives starts from a blanket prohibition: no one may possess a firearm, sword, crossbow, electroshock weapon, gas sprayer, or explosive without specific government permission.¹ A handful of narrow permits exist for hunters, competitive shooters, security personnel, and a few industrial and commercial uses, but there is no general right of ownership and no permit category for personal protection. Penalties for illegal possession reach up to 15 years in prison.

Who Can Actually Get a Firearm Permit

Every legal firearm in South Korea is tied to a specific purpose, and the permit ends when the purpose does. The categories are limited:

Police officers, soldiers, and security guards protecting government officials or foreign delegates.
Registered athletes in shooting sports, including Olympic competitors, for the specific firearm used in their discipline.
Civilian hunters who complete South Korea’s multi-step licensing process, for hunting guns or air guns during designated seasons.
Construction and mining workers who need powder-charged tools for their jobs.
Licensed firearm manufacturers and dealers producing weapons for export.
Film and theater productions using prop firearms.

Applicants for a hunting permit must be at least 20 years old. The statute expressly disqualifies anyone younger from receiving permission to possess firearms, electroshock weapons, or crossbows.¹ A qualifying criminal record disqualifies applicants as well. The process, described by The Korea Herald as roughly ten separate steps, includes physical examinations, background checks, and mandatory training on firearm safety, applicable law, and the proper handling and custody of hunting guns and air guns.²

Any permit that is issued must be renewed every three years, with re-evaluation to confirm the holder still qualifies.¹

Self-Defense Is Not a Legal Reason to Own a Gun

South Korea’s criminal code recognizes a general right to defend yourself with proportionate force against an imminent attack, but that has nothing to do with owning a weapon. No civilian permit category covers personal protection, home defense, or collection. The Act on Safety Management authorizes police officers to use firearms to protect citizens and themselves; no equivalent provision exists for private individuals. If your reason for wanting a gun is self-defense, there is no legal path to one in South Korea.

What Legal Ownership Actually Looks Like

Even a fully licensed hunter cannot keep the gun at home. Outside the hunting season, which generally runs from November 1 through February 28, firearms must be stored at a local police station. During the season, the gun goes back to the police station whenever it is not actively being used for a hunt.

Transport is just as controlled. The firearm must be unloaded, secured in a locked case, and moved directly between an approved location, such as a shooting range or designated hunting ground, and the police storage facility. Owners must notify authorities before moving a weapon. There is no casual carry, no off-season storage in a home closet, and no stopping for errands with a gun in the vehicle. A legally owned firearm in South Korea spends most of its life in government custody; the owner checks it out for approved use and returns it immediately afterward.

Rules for Foreigners and Travelers

Foreign nationals visiting or living in South Korea are bound by the same prohibition as Korean citizens. The Korea Customs Service classifies firearms, swords, explosives, gas sprayers, electroshock weapons, and crossbows, including parts and imitations, as restricted goods that must be declared on entry regardless of any tax-exemption threshold.³ The U.S. Department of State’s travel advisory echoes that Korean customs regulations strictly control the import and export of firearms and ammunition.⁴

A narrow exception exists for foreign athletes coming to compete in an international shooting, hunting, or martial arts event. They can apply for temporary import and temporary possession permits from the district police agency at their port of entry. Any other import or export of firearms requires advance permission from the Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, with documentation submitted for each transaction.¹ If you are traveling to South Korea, assume no firearm, firearm component, or realistic imitation may come with you unless you have written authorization in hand.

Other Weapons the Law Reaches

The Act on Safety Management is not limited to guns. Items that many visitors would not think of as regulated fall squarely within it:

Swords with a blade of at least 15 centimeters.
Crossbows, which require a permit from the local police chief; possession is prohibited under age 20 and handling is prohibited under age 18, with a limited exception for athletes recommended by the Korean Olympic Committee.¹
Electroshock weapons, under the same age and permit restrictions as crossbows.
Gas sprayers, which require permission to possess.
Explosives, controlled under the same permit framework as firearms.
Realistic imitation firearms, which cannot be manufactured, sold, or possessed except for export.¹
Projectile launchers that use springs, elastic strings, or similar mechanisms to fire metal or nonmetal projectiles capable of causing injury, also banned outside export.¹

Airsoft guns, high-powered slingshot-style devices, decorative swords, and realistic toy guns can all create legal problems if brought into the country or possessed without authorization.

Penalties

Illegal manufacture, sale, or possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won (roughly $77,000 USD). Modifying a legally possessed firearm to change its performance, such as increasing the power of an air gun, carries up to two years in prison or a fine of up to five million won. The same penalty applies to manufacturing, selling, or possessing imitation firearms or banned projectile launchers without authorization.¹

Enforcement is not lenient. Possessing a weapon you are not explicitly authorized to have is a criminal offense in South Korea, and the fact that the same object would be lawful in your home country is not a defense.

1
Statutes of the Republic of Korea. Act on the Safety Management of Guns, Swords, and Explosives
2
The Korea Herald. Who Can Carry a Gun in Korea
3
Korea Customs Service. Customs Clearance Procedure for Passenger Belongings
4
U.S. Department of State. South Korea Travel Advisory