SEOUL, South Korea — In a major effort to secure the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting, scheduled for late October in Gyeongju, South Korean police are enacting unprecedented security measures, including a nationwide ban on the release of private firearms and stringent controls on explosives. The move comes as authorities anticipate the participation of nearly all heads of state, including high-profile attendees like U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, necessitating the highest level of counter-terrorism preparedness.
According to the National Police Agency (KNPA) on Monday, the order prohibits the release of 84,927 privately-owned firearms currently held in storage at police stations across the country. This ban will be enforced starting October 26 and will remain in effect until the final departure of the visiting world leaders. The re-release of these weapons will only be permitted from 5:00 AM on November 3. To ensure full compliance, the police have mandated that all firearms already checked out must be returned and checked into police custody by 6:00 PM on October 25.
The restrictions are comprehensive but allow for limited, necessary exceptions. Firearms designated for emergency response, such as those used for culling hazardous wildlife near airports or for capturing wild boars that appear in urban areas, will still be permitted for use under strict police supervision.
Beyond firearms, the transport and use of explosives will also be temporarily suspended. From October 31 to 6:00 AM on November 3, the movement or use of all explosive materials will be prohibited within a two-kilometer radius of the main APEC event venue.
These direct security measures are supplemented by a coordinated, proactive campaign against illegal weaponry. The police are currently running the second phase of an intensive crackdown on illegal weapons, spanning October 1 through October 31. The primary targets of this operation include all activities related to the illegal manufacturing, sale, use, or possession of weapons. Crucially, the campaign also focuses on the internet, targeting the posting and distribution of instructional content on how to manufacture firearms or explosives.
Police units, including the regional vice-squads and the civilian cyber police force known as "Nuri Cops," are actively monitoring online communities, secondhand trading platforms, and mobile applications for illegal activities. Any illicit posts discovered will be immediately reported to the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) with a request for prompt deletion and site blocking, ensuring a rapid cleanup of online distribution channels.
In parallel, the police have initiated a nationwide, large-scale inspection of all 1,709 businesses handling guns and explosives. Running from the 29th of September until October 23, the inspection teams are rigorously examining facilities to prevent the theft or leakage of weapons and ammunition. Key checks include verifying that gun safes and live ammunition stores are kept separate, and that all records concerning the loan and return of firearms and ammunition are accurately documented.
A particular emphasis is being placed on preventing the diversion of equipment used by competitive shooters, following a recent case in which a gang of three was arrested and detained by the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency for illegally distributing shooter-grade ammunition and homemade guns to the black market. The authorities assert that these multi-layered security initiatives are essential to guaranteeing a safe and successful APEC Summit.
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