DependsSelf Defence Weapons

Is it legal to possess a taser in a car in South Korea?

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Short answer: DependsRow state: verifiedSelf Defence Weapons

Quick answer

Depends
Depends
Last verified: 2026-04-12Sources verified

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.

DependsDigital Laws

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.

DependsSelf Defence Weapons

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.

DependsSelf Defence Weapons

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.

DependsSelf Defence Weapons

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 Taser 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.

DependsSelf Defence Weapons

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.

NoSelf Defence Weapons

Canada

Keeping a Taser in a car is not lawful in Canada for the public because the device is treated as a prohibited weapon or prohibited firearm.

NoSelf Defence Weapons

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.

DependsSelf Defence Weapons

About this row

Canonical dataset status

Country hubSouth Korea
Row stateverified

Reset rule

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