Smoking in South Korea

Smoking in South Korea is the leading cause of death in the country, with more than 40,000 people dying every year from smoking-related diseases. Smoking is common in restaurants and bars, nightclubs, noraebang, offices, Internet cafes and even some private hospitals. Posted signage indicating smoking ban legislation are commonly ignored. Stress is frequently cited as a reason to smoke.

Prevalence

In survey conducted in 2000, 70-80% of male respondents claimed to be smokers. By 2007, the results of a subsequent survey found that while the male smoking rate had fallen to 50%, it still ranked the highest among OECD countries. During the same period, the smoking rate among women rose from 2 to 4%. Similarly, the rate at which adolescents, primarily boys, smoke has increased in recent years. Reports suggest that persistently high rates of smoking in the military contribute to the high incidence of male smoking, and negate the efficacy of anti-smoking measures, as many men start smoking during their mandatory 2-year military service.

Smoking and health

The Public Health Graduate School of Yonsei University completed a 13-year medical study on 1.2 million patients and found that about 73% of male smokers and 18% of female smokers contracted lung cancer. There is rising awareness of the health effects of tobacco.

Economic effects

The economy of South Korea loses more than 10 trillion won a year in terms of health-care expenses and lost man-hours due to smoking-related illness.

Anti-smoking legislation

Since 2006 smoking has been banned inside government facilities and office buildings with a floor area of more than 1,000 m². The legislation does apply to smaller facilities or smoking in the immediate vicinity outside the buildings. Seoul instituted a ban on pedestrians smoking on streets which went into effect in August 2010. South Korea’s Health, Welfare and Family Affairs Ministry banned smoking in 16 kinds of public places in March 2011 in a bid to lower the male smoking rate from 47 percent to 20 percent. Those places included the nation’s largest buildings, hotels, schools, sports arenas, large restaurants, comic book stores, government buildings, train stations and airports.

Korean smoking etiquette

Local smoking etiquette is influenced by Confucianism. For instance, smokers generally refrain from, or seek permission before lighting up in the presence of social superiors; a social superior could be a boss, professor, parents, grandparents, or teacher.

External links

• Robert Neff Korea and “The World No-Tobacco Day” June 1, 2010