Loopholes plague `no-smoking streets'
By Nam Hyun-woo
No-smoking streets are popping up across Seoul but their success apparently requires more than slogans or threat of punishment.
The latest no-smoking street is a 250-meter-long strip, called Hwigyeong-ro, from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) to a subway station in front of the school. It’s the first among areas within the vicinity of a college, with a similar smoking ban being sought for Konkuk University in eastern Seoul.
A violator will face a fine of 100,000 won from next year after a four month grace period starting in September.
Smokers have been the first to complain.
“We understand the government’s effort to lower the damage from indirect smoking, but suppressive designation of non-smoking area is killing the rights of smokers who have paid the equal or even large amount of tax for smoking,” said Lee Yeon-ik, head of a local smoker’s community, I Love Smoking.
“Smoker’s tax should be used for smokers who need smoking booths. To minimize the damage, smoke-free zone designating and booth installing should come together” Lee said.
Then, there are those who are concerned about how to enforce the smoking ban.
A HUFS student, surnamed Park, said. “I don’t believe the regulation will be effective. I agree with the purpose of making a smoke-free street, but smokers will smoke in the night unless the crackdown continues until then.”
Plus, some residents say that it would drive smokers into back allies for a puff.
A vendor in an alley near the street, who refused to be named, said, “If the main street becomes a smoke-free zone, they will come to this alley to smoke. Then I have to clean butts and the trash they leave. I see no effect in this policy.”
In response, the Dongdaemun District Office revealed no details on how to enlist the support of the residents and visitors to enforce the ban.
“The district office has conducted a street survey Friday to hear residents’ and students’ opinion about prohibiting smoking in the street. Over 75 percent of people out of 7,000 surveyed supported it. Shop owners welcomed the decision,” the district official said.
Some 35,000 to 40,000 people pass through HUFS subway station daily. Since the subway station leads to the street directly, the two- to three-meter wide sidewalks of the street are packed with a similar number of people.
If a smoker puffs away in the dense street, many are naturally exposed to indirect smoking, the district official said.
As the district office restricts smoking on the street HUFS earlier prohibited smoking on campus, the wide area near the university has become one of the largest non-smoking zones in the country.