By Kim Tae-gyu
Timed for the Chuseok holiday, which falls on Sept. 22, JTI Korea and SK Networks will launch a joint initiative themed the Smoking Manners Campaign aimed at promoting cigarette butt-free streets.
The Seoul-based tobacco maker said Friday that it will distribute a total of 20,000 portable ashtrays free of charge from Sept. 17 through Sept. 19 at SK gas stations in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
JTI Korea, famous for such products as Mild Seven and Salem, has conducted the campaign since 2001.
``As the Seoul Metropolitan Government initiated a special crackdown on those who throw away cigarette butts out the window after smoking inside their cars by charging fines starting Sept. 1, we hope many smokers will take part in our campaign,’’ JTI Korea General Manager Ali Yagiz said in a statement.
``Through this campaign, we wish to maintain clean expressways over the Chuseok holidays nationwide and including the streets in the Seoul area and hope that a healthy smoking culture is created where smokers and non-smokers coexist while respecting each other.’’