Cases of airline passengers possessing goods banned in-flight, including weapons, numbered nearly 800 at South Korea’s major international airport over the past three years, a lawmaker said on Thursday.

Authorities detected 795 instances in which passengers possessed such items ranging from lethal weapons like firearms, ammunition and swords as well as other, more minor banned objects at Incheon International Airport, the country’s main gateway, from 2008 to August this year, Rep. Lew Seon-ho of the main opposition Democratic Party said. Lew cited a report that the airport submitted for a regular parliamentary audit.

The number of prohibited items detected during the first eight months of this year reached 255, signaling a sharp gain for the whole of 2011 compared with 254 and 286 posted in 2009 and 2010, respectively, Lew said.

Five cases of firearms possession, along with possession of ammunition and knives in 122 and 64 cases, respectively, have been reported so far this year, the report also said.

“The latest report showed Incheon International Airport, which is our country’s gateway, has many loopholes,” the lawmaker said.

“Authorities should come up with measures to build the best system to block them.” (Yonhap News)