Anybody want a Korean M1 Garand??

I've confirmed this news as not being internet rumor via domestic Korean news.

The Korea Times
09-24-2009 22:19
Korea to Sell Old US Rifles Back
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

Source - http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/09/113_52476.html

- Janq

The ministry estimated their expected sale prices at US $220 per M1 and more than $140 per carbine.

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The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Korea to Sell Old Rifles Back to U.S.

Korea will sell outdated M1 and carbine rifles used during the Korean War and the Vietnam War to the U.S. gun enthusiasts. They have long lost their value as firearms, except that reserve forces sometime use them.

The Defense Ministry's "green" logistics planning division said it decided to sell about 87,000 M1 and some 35,000 carbine rifles to the U.S. by the end of the year. "Importers are very interested in them as many Americans want to buy them as curios for their collections."

The ministry estimated their expected sale prices at US$220 per M1 and more than $140 per carbine. Korea could earn more than $20 million from the first shipment of those rifles. In fact, the old M1 or carbine rifle is traded at more than $1,000 in some cases in the U.S., a military officer said.

The Army and the Navy will get rid of all their stockpiles of M1s, but the ministry expects to keep earning dollars as it still keeps about 640,000 carbines for the reserve forces, which could also be disposed of as the reserve forces' equipment will be modernized by 2020.

The ministry's logistics planning division concluded that there is no legal problem selling the guns although a considerable amount of them were given by the U.S. to Korea as aid supplies.

M1s were made first in the U.S. in 1926, and many were used later in World War II and the Vietnam War. Carbines were manufactured first in 1941 and introduced to Korea in 1948, many given to soldiers during the Korean War.