More smokers join programs to kick habit

/ Yonhap

More smokers have joined programs to kick the habit after the Park Geun-hye administration announced plans to raise the price of cigarettes, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Citing sources in the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the report said that between September and October, almost 92,000 new members signed up for anti-smoking programs, compared to 60,500 people in the same period last year.

However, during the period between January and August, less people signed up for the programs than last year.

In September, the government announced new plans to raise the prices of cigarettes.

The ministry said Daejeon saw an 85 percent rise in the number of applicants to the program, followed by Chungnam (82 percent), Busan (78 percent), and Ulsan (76 percent).

"We will increase financial support to these stop-smoking clinics," a ministry official stated.