This photo distributed by police shows a man in his 50s walking around a subway station in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on June 27, wearing fake police gear. (Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency)
This photo distributed by police shows a man in his 50s walking around a subway station in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on June 27, wearing fake police gear. (Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency)

A man in his 50s is facing charges for walking around in public carrying a fake gun and a fake stun gun, while wearing what appeared to be a police uniform, police said Saturday.

Officials at the Goyang Police Station said the suspect's case has been transferred to the prosecution without physical detention on charges of violating the Police Uniforms and Equipment Regulation Act. He wore clothing similar to the uniforms worn by Korean police officers, including a jacket and a hat design worn in the past by police conscripts, while carrying fake weapons made of plastic at around 10:56 p.m. on June 27.

A citizen called the police and reported him as he roamed around Korea Aerospace University Station on the Seoul subway's Gyeongui Line in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The person who reported the case grew suspicious when the suspect's fake uniform did not have a name tag or rank insignia on it.

South Korea bans non-police officers from wearing equipment or garments similar to official police gear.

It was found that the suspect was a member of a local community for cosplay -- a hobby in which people dress up as characters from works of fiction. He said he bought the equipment and uniform from an online store based outside the country.


minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com