Gas Gun Detected Near BTS Concert Venue Turns Out to Be 'Self-Defense Spray'

Woman in Her 50s Found with Gas Gun and Stun Gun

Self-Defense Spray Shaped Like a Gun Confirmed

An incident occurred in the area around Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, where a BTS (Bangtan Boys) concert was scheduled to take place, when a gas gun and a stun gun carried by a woman in her 50s were discovered but later confirmed to be a 'self-defense spray' shaped like a gun.

On the 21st, at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, a woman in her 50s was caught by the police carrying an item suspected to be a gas gun, but it was confirmed to be a gun-shaped self-defense spray. Photo by Jiyé Lee

According to the Jongno Police Station in Seoul on the 21st, at around 5:25 p.m. that day, a checkpoint in front of the KT Gwanghwamun Building West Wing detected self-defense items such as a gas gun and a stun gun among the belongings of a woman in her 50s. Possession of a gas gun requires a permit from the head of the local police station. Applicants must not have any disqualifying factors such as a mental disorder or a record of violent crime, and violation constitutes a breach of the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act. The possession of a stun gun is also restricted if the voltage is 30,000 volts or higher.

Upon police investigation, the item presumed to be a gas gun was found to be a self-defense spray shaped like a gun, which can be purchased by anyone online. The woman who possessed the item told reporters, "My boyfriend gave it to me as a self-defense gift, and since I had never actually used it, I thought it was a gas gun." She added, "I'm currently involved in a lawsuit after being scammed, and I'm afraid of retaliation. I also feel uneasy walking alone at night, so I carry it for protection."

The stun gun she was carrying was also confirmed to be a self-defense device that is legally permitted for personal possession.

On the 21st, a woman in her 50s was caught by the police at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul carrying an item suspected to be a gas gun, but it was confirmed to be a gas spray in the shape of a gun for self-defense. Photo by Lee Jiye

At another checkpoint, a folding camping knife was discovered and confiscated. Hackers, a 45-year-old tourist from Germany, said, "I just normally kept it in my backpack, but it was detected by the metal detector and confiscated. I understand it's the regulation, but such strict security measures in a city center are rare in my experience, so it was quite surprising."

Earlier, at a briefing for the Prime Minister held at the integrated field command post inside the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts that afternoon, police announced that they had identified a kitchen knife with a metal detector and verified that the owner was a chef. In the morning, a group carrying fruit and a paring knife in a backpack had a confrontation with police while trying to pass through a metal detector.

Items including a pocket knife and lighter collected by the police at a checkpoint around Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on the 21st. Photo by Hosoo Park

The area around Gwanghwamun Square was placed under strict security, including thorough body searches and entry control. Safety fences were erected along a 1.2 km stretch from the opposite side of Gwanghwamun to City Hall Station (north-south) and about 200 meters east-west, and anyone wishing to cross the square had to pass through one of 31 gates set up along the fence. Entry through each gate was only possible after passing through metal detectors, and the police conducted baggage checks on all citizens and visitors.

On five main roads and fifteen side streets, triple security lines were established using barricades and police buses to form vehicle barriers. Inside the gates, police SWAT teams were deployed, and observation vehicles capable of monitoring crowded areas from an elevated vantage point were also mobilized. The vehicles were equipped with cameras capable of up to 30x magnification.

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