"No Police Cosplay This Halloween"... Crackdown on Imitation Uniforms

Police will crack down on the manufacture, sale, and distribution of imitation police uniforms and equipment ahead of Halloween on October 31.

A citizen dressed in costume walks along World Food Street in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, last October for Halloween. Yonhap News.

The Korean National Police Agency said on October 25 that police agencies across the country will jointly conduct an intensive crackdown on the manufacture, sale, and distribution of imitation police uniforms and equipment from October 26 through November 1. Such items can cause serious harm to the public, including by being used to commit crimes involving impersonation of police officers or by disrupting law enforcement activities in the field.

Under current law, it is illegal for members of the public who are not police officers to wear or possess police uniforms or imitation police uniforms and equipment. Violators may face up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 3 million won.

During the Halloween period, the police will conduct intensive inspections of major portal sites and secondhand trading platforms in cooperation with the Korea Online Shopping Association, and block searches for key terms such as "police uniform" and "police clothing." They also plan to step up inspections of 54 major online retailers and conduct on-site crackdowns in key areas, including Itaewon and Hongdae. The police said they will take strong action, including referring cases for investigation when violations are found.

An official from the Korean National Police Agency said, "Even in cases involving police cosplay costumes and accessories that do not qualify as imitation uniforms or equipment, people could mistake them for real police attire in special circumstances, such as at night or in densely crowded areas. We urge people to refrain from selling or using them." The official added, "We will work to ensure that regulations on imitation police uniforms are properly enforced."

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