By Jung Min-ho
One in three smokers said they will quit if the health ministry raises cigarette prices as planned, according to a survey released Friday.
This follows Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo's comments Tuesday that the price should be raised to 4,500 won ($4.40) per pack by 2020 to reduce the country's smoking rate, which has been stubbornly high among developed countries.
The last price hike for cigarettes was in 2004 when it was raised 500 won.
Among 1,000 survey participants, 64.5 percent said they would support the price hike, while 35.5 percent said they would not.
Among smokers, 20.9 percent of respondents were not happy with the idea ― 70.7 percent said they would object to making cigarettes more expensive, while 29.3 percent said they would support it.
Still, the price hike is expected to have an impact as 32.3 percent of smokers said they would quit if the price reach 4,500 won, while 51.6 percent said the new price would not change their habit. The remaining 16.1 percent said they were not sure.
The 2004 price increase reduced the smoking rate by 12 percent among men.
More than 70 percent of cigarettes in Korea are sold for 2,500 won or less, which is much cheaper than the average price of $6.40 among the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The smoking rate among Korean males currently stands at 44 percent, much higher than the 25 percent average for the 34 OECD members, the minister said.
The World Health Organization and many experts believe that a big price hike is the one of the most effective ways to curb smoking.
In countries such as Norway and Australia, where a pack of cigarettes costs more than 16,000 won, smoking rates are below 30 percent.
The Korean government aims to lower the smoking rate to 29 percent by 2020.
In addition to making cigarettes more expensive, the ministry is considering putting graphic descriptions on the cover of the packs to inform consumers of the risks of smoking, which is known to be effective in reducing smoking rates particularly among teenagers.
One in three smokers said they will quit if the health ministry raises cigarette prices as planned, according to a survey released Friday.
This follows Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo's comments Tuesday that the price should be raised to 4,500 won ($4.40) per pack by 2020 to reduce the country's smoking rate, which has been stubbornly high among developed countries.
The last price hike for cigarettes was in 2004 when it was raised 500 won.
Among 1,000 survey participants, 64.5 percent said they would support the price hike, while 35.5 percent said they would not.
Among smokers, 20.9 percent of respondents were not happy with the idea ― 70.7 percent said they would object to making cigarettes more expensive, while 29.3 percent said they would support it.
Still, the price hike is expected to have an impact as 32.3 percent of smokers said they would quit if the price reach 4,500 won, while 51.6 percent said the new price would not change their habit. The remaining 16.1 percent said they were not sure.
The 2004 price increase reduced the smoking rate by 12 percent among men.
More than 70 percent of cigarettes in Korea are sold for 2,500 won or less, which is much cheaper than the average price of $6.40 among the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The smoking rate among Korean males currently stands at 44 percent, much higher than the 25 percent average for the 34 OECD members, the minister said.
The World Health Organization and many experts believe that a big price hike is the one of the most effective ways to curb smoking.
In countries such as Norway and Australia, where a pack of cigarettes costs more than 16,000 won, smoking rates are below 30 percent.
The Korean government aims to lower the smoking rate to 29 percent by 2020.
In addition to making cigarettes more expensive, the ministry is considering putting graphic descriptions on the cover of the packs to inform consumers of the risks of smoking, which is known to be effective in reducing smoking rates particularly among teenagers.
