Seoul to ban smoking at bus stops, public parks

Seoul impose 100,000 won in fine on those who smoke in three public plazas in the city center -- Cheonggye, Seoul and Ganghwamun -- beginning on June 1, after three-month grace period.

Seoul will expand its "no-smoking zone" to include bus stops and neighborhood parks, starting next year, stepping up efforts to heighten public awareness of the health hazards from secondhand smoking, officials said Monday.

Last year, the city government set up its own non-smoking ordinance that will impose the fine on those who smoke at public places.

Under the toughened policy, those caught smoking at bus stops or neighborhood parks in Seoul will be fined 100,000 won ($89) from 2012, said the officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

The municipal government said that 5,715 bus stops, 1,024 neighborhood parks and areas within a 50-meter radius from all elementary, middle and high schools in the capital will be additionally designated as no-smoking zones starting next January.

Offenders will be fined 100,000 won based on ordinances soon to be established by all autonomous districts under the control of the metropolitan government, it said.

The metropolitan government plans to declare as non-smoking areas 23 city-run parks in September, and 295 bus stops along bus-only lanes in the capital in December. It is unclear whether the city will give a three-month grace period before enforcing the rule.

As the rate of residents answering in annual surveys that they have suffered damage from secondhand smoking has risen from 92.4 percent in 2009 to 97.5 percent last year, the local government aims to reduce the rate to below 85 percent by 2014. It also wants to lower the percentage of smokers among Seoulites from 24.3 percent in 2009 to 20 percent or less by 2014. (Yonhap)

6월부터 서울광장에서 담배피면 '10만원' 벌금

오는 6월부터 서울광장, 청계광장, 광화문광장에서 담배를 필 경우 10만원의 과태료를 부과하게 된다.

서울시는 오는 3월1일부터 주요 광장을 금연구역으로 지정한 후 3개월간의 홍보기간을 거쳐 올해 6월부터 해당 구역에서 담배를 피는 흡연자에게 과태료를 부과할 방침이라고 7일 밝혔다.

이에 따라 서울시는 이달 중 광장 경계 곳곳 금연구역 표시와 조성 목적 등을 담은 표지판과 안내판을 설치한다.

한편 지난해 제정된 `서울시 간접흡연 피해방지조례'에 따르면 시장이 시민의 건강보호를 위해 도시공원, 학교정화구역, 버스정류소, 가스충전소 등을 금연구역으로 지정할 수 있다.

아울러 금연구역은 올해 9월 시내 공원 23곳, 12월에 중앙차로 버스정류장 295곳 등 연내 모두 321곳으로 확대될 계획이다.

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