According to Media Incheon, with the revised “Tobacco Industry Law” set to come into effect on April 24th, synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes will be included in the legal category of tobacco. Businesses planning to sell related products must apply to the relevant authorities for designation as tobacco retailers.
Starting from April 24th, synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes will be subject to legal tobacco regulations.
At that time, synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes will be classified as tobacco within the legal framework.
If the relevant product sales outlets wish to continue their operations, they must obtain the tobacco retailer designation issued by the competent authority in advance.
If one continues to sell without obtaining the necessary authorization, they may become a target for punishment and face up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 5 million Korean won (approximately 3,450 US dollars, with 1 KRW = 0.00069 USD).
For existing business premises that have been sold before December 23, 2024, the 50-meter distance restriction can be temporarily waived.
For existing business premises that have sold related products before December 23, 2024, if they submit relevant proof materials, a temporary exemption from the 50-meter distance limit between business premises can be obtained. The applicable period is until April 23, 2028.
However, the business premises that are subject to this exception can only sell synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes. If they also sell regular tobacco, the designated tobacco retailers will have their qualifications revoked.
Applications can be submitted to the local office or the Economic Policy Division of the county government, or they can be sent by mail.
After the grace period ends, the relevant business premises must still meet the distance requirements and obtain new designations as tobacco retailers.
Applications can be processed at the corresponding local office based on the location of the business premises, or they can be submitted by mail.