A battery pack including at least a battery cell and a protection circuit for shutting off a overcurrent discharge, comprising a discharge control switch connected between a negative terminal of the battery cell and a external minus terminal configured to close after the detection of an abnormal discharge shut-off condition. A shut-off holding unit is configured to maintain a discharge shut-off condition after the detection of an abnormal discharge shut-off condition due to the shorting or connection of a low resistance between a external plus terminal and a external minus terminal of the battery pack, and a releasing unit configured to release the discharge shut-off condition maintained by the shut-off holding unit by applying a predetermined voltage between the external plus terminal and the external minus terminal of the battery pack. Additionally, the discharge control switch is one of a mechanical switch, a transistor, and a field effect transistor.