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   05-17-2009 14:48
S. Koreans Spend Over W8 Tril. on Cigarettes

South Koreans spent a record 8.16 trillion won ($6.46 billion) on cigarettes in 2008 despite efforts by the government and social groups to get people to cut down on smoking, a report by the central bank said Sunday.

The Bank of Korea said the figure represents a 3.9 percent gain from the 7.85 trillion won tallied the year before, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The total is equivalent to 25.2 percent of what the nation spends on medical and health care, 32.37 trillion won, and reflects a steady increase in cigarette purchasing.

Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease and other ailments.

Outlays on cigarettes reached 5.35 trillion won in 2000 before surpassing the 7-trillion won mark for the first time in 2005, and topped 7.49 trillion won in 2006.

The central bank report also said sales of alcoholic beverages at stores were up 5.7 percent year-on-year to 5.90 trillion won, from 5.58 trillion won tallied for 2007.

The total does not include sales at restaurants or bars.

Combined sales of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages reached 14.07 trillion won in 2008, up 4.7 percent from the previous year. The figure is equal to 43.5 percent of the country's medical and health care spending.

The report, however, said sales of both cigarettes and alcoholic beverages were somewhat affected by the poor economic conditions, with sales falling to a 2.1 percent annual gain in the fourth quarter, the lowest since minus 3.5 percent growth recorded for the fourth quarter of 2005.

On a quarterly basis, domestic sales of the two commodities rose 4.1 percent in the first quarter of 2008 and moved up 5.0 percent from April through June before dipping to 4.0 percent year-on-year growth in the third quarter.

Reader's Comments
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Bad language will not be tolerated. All comments considered discriminatory against race or sex, or which are considered offensive against certain people, will be eliminated by the manager. Violators will be deprived of their membership.
Please stay on topic.
TeacherBruce   (122.203.83.194)   05-18-2009 14:26
Korean men and women probably blame cigarette smoking on stress too, just like they all do for being raging drunks...
dmblum   (121.188.0.178)   05-18-2009 12:35
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1879386,00.html 2nd hand smoke can lead to lung cancer, heart disease, and dementia. Cars have social utility; cigarettes have none, they simply kill people. Even if it weren't deadly, cigarette smoke is litter in the air; you're not allowed to toss trash on the ground, which should be permitted to annoy others with your noxious smoke. You want cancer? Smoke at home.
zbd21   (24.168.132.60)   05-18-2009 11:32
Smoking and drinking soju......2 common activities by Koreans. Second hand smoke causes cancer Mr. Thunder.
bigthunder   (122.153.147.2)   05-18-2009 10:49
I guess everyone will be better off riding in horses and buggies. Smoking? Second-hand smoke is nothing but BS. There are more harmful agents/elements in our atmospere than mere cigarette smoke.
bigthunder   (122.153.147.2)   05-18-2009 10:46
@dmblum: Man, if that's your logic people might as well not walk outside where there is more air pollution than mere cigarette smoke. Lowering smoking habit because cigarette are astronomically expensive! By your and every other liberal's logic, why don't we ban cars, motorcycles, and trucks, shut down industrial complexes and airports. They all emit one harmful carcinogenic into our air and we breathe them daily. .
Managerial regulations
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