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Korea is still one of the biggest consumers of cigarettes in the world, despite a slight drop in the average number of adults who smoke compared to a decade ago.
Korea has the second highest number of smokers, 44.3 percent, out of the 34 OECD member countries after Greece with 46.3 percent, according to health data published in 2011.
Today marks the 25th World No Tobacco Day, a day to promote a smoking-free world that also informs people about the health dangers of tobacco. The day was first designated by the World Health Organization in 1988 and is celebrated on May 31 every year.
Despite a drastic drop in the number of Koreans who smoke in the early 2000s, the percentage of the population with the habit is again increasing.
The smoking rate dropped by 6 to 7 percent after 2002 and 2004 when the tax on cigarettes was increased by 150 won and 354 won, respectively. The government even implemented non-monetary policies such as the expansion of anti-smoking clinics and non-smoking areas from 2005.
But the smoking rate of adult males increased continually up to 48.3 percent in 2010 after it had dropped to 45 percent in 2007.
The smoking rate of male teenagers also remains steadily high at 16 to 17 percent on average.
“If teenagers continue to smoke, the damage from smoking will become more severe in the next 20 years along with the problem of the aging population,” the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated in a press release.
“We need anti-smoking policies to reduce Korea’s smoking rate to the OECD average of 27.5 percent for male adults. We expect the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which will be held this November, to play a role in drastically reducing the smoking population.”
The FCTC is a binding international framework that seeks to counter the consumption of cigarettes and damage from smoking. This year’s FCTC will be held in Seoul for a week from Nov. 12.
The welfare ministry plans to actively reduce the smoking rate starting this year.
“The ministry plans to reduce the smoking rate into the high 20s from the current mid-40s by placing alarming pictures on cigarette packs and stating the ingredients of cigarettes,” a ministry official said.
Meanwhile, an event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the World No Tobacco Day will be held today at the Korea Press Foundation in central Seoul.
