Handonghun says strict supervision of firearms and swords is needed in Japan's murder case too

"Once Approved, It's Hard to Screen Even If Mental Illness Occurs"
"Since It's a Livelihood Issue, We Expect the Democratic Party to Cooperate More"

Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, said on the 31st through his social media service (SNS), "A thorough re-examination and strict supervision of the possession of firearms and blades are necessary to prevent the public from feeling anxious."

Handonghun, the People Power Party's representative candidate, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the Yeouido campaign office in Seoul. Photo by Huh Younghan younghan@

Han said, "A father in his 40s with young children lost his life to a neighbor wielding a Japanese sword, a deadly weapon." Earlier, on the 29th, in an apartment complex in Seoul, a man in his 30s swung a Japanese sword and killed a man in his 40s. It was confirmed that the victim and the perpetrator were strangers to each other.

Han expressed, "I pray for the deceased and offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved family," adding, "The Japanese sword used as a weapon was approved by the police in January for 'decorative purposes'." He continued, "The perpetrator reportedly exhibited abnormal behavior, such as talking to himself with curses and carrying the Japanese sword around, even challenging children at the playground to sword fights."

Han emphasized, "Current laws on the safety management of firearms, blades, and explosives are lax, as blades or gas-powered guns do not require a 'medical examination certificate' that can verify a history of mental illness," and added, "Once permission to possess a blade is granted, it is difficult to preemptively screen out cases where mental illness newly develops."

Han stated, "We must strengthen possession permission requirements, shorten renewal periods, and reorganize the laws so that such tragic incidents never happen again," and said, "The People Power Party will resolve this issue. Since it is a matter concerning the livelihood of the people, we expect the Democratic Party to cooperate as well."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.