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All 18 accidental police handgun discharges over the past six years occurred not during field operations such as subduing suspects, but during routine handling processes including firearm inspections, check-ins and check-outs, and maintenance. Although police authorities classified all cases as user negligence, recurring incidents have prompted them to step up training while introducing safety equipment designed to prevent stray rounds from escaping even if live ammunition is fired accidentally.

According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to the office of Representative Lee Sang-sik on the 5th, a total of 18 accidental handgun discharges were recorded between 2021 and September 21, 2026. By year, there were 3 cases in 2021, 1 in 2022, 7 in 2023, 3 in 2024, 2 in 2025, and 2 in 2026. Handgun deployments totaled 108 cases over the same period.

Accidental discharges were concentrated in the handling of firearms rather than during suspect apprehension. In 2021, a blank cartridge went off while an officer rechecked the cylinder during an inspection at the Geoje Police Box in South Gyeongsang Province. At the Jungdong Patrol Division of Bucheon Wonmi Police Station under the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, a live round struck the floor while an officer was installing a trigger safety device.

In 2023, an officer at the Gunnae Police Box of Jindo Police Station in South Jeolla Province pulled the trigger to check the rotation direction of the cylinder, lodging a remaining live round into a wall. At the Bugang Police Box of Sejong Bukbu Police Station, a blank cartridge discharged while an officer was holstering a handgun. At the Hwarang Patrol Division of Seoul Nowon Police Station, a blank round fired during handgun maintenance. Accidents occurred repeatedly even during routine management steps such as checking firearm conditions, decocking, and holstering.

Mishaps also occurred during training. In 2023, a live round accidentally discharged during practice for regular marksmanship evaluations at the Meokgol Police Box of Seoul Jungnang Police Station. In 2024, an accidental live shot during target practice by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Special Operations Unit injured an officer in an adjacent lane. In 2025, an officer at the Ansim Patrol Division of Daegu Dongbu Police Station accidentally fired a blank round while moving to a patrol vehicle without realizing the firearm remained cocked.

In 2026, a live round struck the ground at the Seojeong Patrol Division of Pyeongtaek Police Station under the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency while the hammer was released and recocked. At the Namdaejeon Patrol Division of Daejeon Jungbu Police Station, a blank cartridge fired while an officer attempted to return a cocked handgun to its original state. In addition, accidental discharges occurred during safety checks, firearm check-ins and check-outs, decocking demonstrations, loading rounds, and attaching rubber safety plugs.

The National Police Agency categorized all 18 cases as user negligence. Disciplinary measures including requests for light disciplinary action, warnings, and cautions were issued depending on the severity of the case, while 6 cases were closed without punishment. No incidents were attributed to equipment defects.

Representative Lee Sang-sik stated, "Given that accidental handgun discharges recur during routine inspection processes, we must not rely solely on individual vigilance, but establish systemic preventive solutions such as overhauling firearm handling manuals."

Meanwhile, police have incorporated practical weapon-response training covering handguns and electronic control weapons into regular team training at local police stations and substations since August 2025. Repeated training sessions are conducted once a month, 12 times a year, for all 48,905 local police officers. Educational materials on preventing accidental discharges were distributed in August of this year.

Alongside training to reduce human error, physical devices are being introduced to keep mistakes from leading to casualties. Police have been piloting muzzle safety clearing devices at 10 local police facilities since August of this year for use during safety verification procedures such as firearm check-ins, check-outs, and decocking. The device is designed so officers place both hands and the muzzle inside a containment chamber to load, unload, and inspect the firearm. Even if a live round discharges accidentally, the bullet is trapped in rubber plates and sand layers, preventing external fragmentation.

Police have allocated a new budget of 196 million won to introduce the clearing devices to roughly 260 local police facilities in 2027. An official from the National Police Agency said, "We will review the pilot program and field feedback to enhance safety and effectiveness, standardize equipment specifications and standard operating procedures, and expand deployment nationwide in phases."

                                                                                                          Seol So-young