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Korea to add drunk driving warnings to alcohol bottle labels in November
A liquor delivery driver drops off alcohol at a restaurant in Jung District, Seoul, Feb. 20, 2023. Newsis
By Park Ung
Liquor bottles in Korea will be required to carry warning text or images about the dangers of drunk driving, as part of efforts to curb alcohol-related harm.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute said Friday the alcohol labeling regulations have been revised, with the new rules taking effect Nov. 9.
The revised rules will require liquor containers to include a "no drunk driving" warning in text or image form, alongside existing warnings about health risks and the dangers of drinking during pregnancy.
The regulations also establish a legal basis for warning images, moving beyond the previous text-only approach for greater visual impact.
The amendments carry a six-month grace period in compliance with the World Trade Organization's Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement.
The rules apply to all alcoholic beverages produced or cleared through customs on or after March 19. Products produced or imported before Nov. 9 may remain on sale until May 8, 2027.
The revised rules come amid a broader shift in drinking habits. The median monthly binge drinking rate across 17 cities and provinces stood at 33.8 percent last year, falling for the second straight year after reaching 35.8 percent in 2023, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
The monthly binge drinking rate measures the share of people who, over the past year, drank five or more cans of beer in a single sitting at least once a month, or three or more cans of beer for women.
A separate indicator, the monthly drinking rate — defined as drinking at least once a month over the past year — also fell across all 17 cities and provinces.