Is it legal to possess a stun gun in South Korea?
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Quick answer
Legal position
Current starter summary
South Korea does not treat gas sprayers and electric shock devices as ordinary unrestricted consumer items. The weapons safety law requires a possession permit for gas sprayers and electric shock machines unless a statutory exception applies.
Conditions
What would need to be true
Do not buy, carry or keep a stun gun or Taser-style electric shock device without confirming that the item falls within the electric-shock-machine permit rules and that the required police permission has been obtained.
Exceptions
Known carve-outs or edge cases
The law contains limited specific exceptions, but the checked official sources do not support a broad over-the-counter consumer exception.
Penalties
Penalty snapshot
Violating the permit rules for gas sprayers or electric shock machines can be punished by up to five years imprisonment or a fine of up to 10 million won.
Enforcement
How this may be enforced
Police licensing authorities control possession permits for regulated self-defence weapons.
More rules in South Korea
Use the reset build to keep country pages useful even before every row is fully sourced.
gamble online
Online gambling in South Korea is not a flat yes or no answer from the official sources checked here. The Criminal Act punishes gambling and habitual gambling, but specific state-authorized gambling products are treated separately by statute.
buy a pepper spray
South Korea does not treat gas sprayers and electric shock devices as ordinary unrestricted consumer items. The weapons safety law requires a possession permit for gas sprayers and electric shock machines unless a statutory exception applies.
buy a stun gun
South Korea does not treat gas sprayers and electric shock devices as ordinary unrestricted consumer items. The weapons safety law requires a possession permit for gas sprayers and electric shock machines unless a statutory exception applies.
buy a taser
South Korea does not treat gas sprayers and electric shock devices as ordinary unrestricted consumer items. The weapons safety law requires a possession permit for gas sprayers and electric shock machines unless a statutory exception applies.
Compare this activity in other countries
This makes the rule page useful for comparison without creating a second data source.
Australia
Australia does not have one uniform civilian stun-gun rule. Victoria Police classifies a Taser or stun gun as a prohibited weapon, and Victoria Police approval material says prohibited weapons generally require Chief Commissioner approval or an applicable exemption for purchase, possession, carriage or transport. Australian Border Force customs material treats handheld electric-shock devices, including Tasers, stun guns and stun batons, as arms.
Belgium
Belgian Justice lists portable devices that use electric shocks to neutralise persons as prohibited weapons. Prohibited weapons cannot lawfully be possessed, bought, transported or carried by civilians.
Canada
Short electric shock devices such as stun guns are prohibited weapons in Canada and ordinary possession is not lawful.
Colombia
Colombia authorizes electric less-lethal devices only within the framework of Decreto 1563 de 2022. Electric devices are only authorized if they meet the decree’s technical specifications, and the civilian possession and carry framework requires marking and a permit process for less-lethal items.
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