Kim Jong-un smokes while meeting, North Korea “fines for smoking cigarettes on the street”

North Korea has further strengthened its anti-smoking measures, announcing that it will fine people who smoke while smoking on the streets of major cities like Pyongyang.

On the 12th, ‘Chosun’s Today’, an external media outlet, presented the details of the anti-smoking law. According to the anti-smoking law, smoking is prohibited while walking the streets of cities and provinces such as Pyongyang, and a health hazard warning picture indicating the toxicity of cigarettes must be posted in smoking rooms. . [조선의 오늘 홈페이지 캡쳐=연합뉴스 ]

On the 12th, “Chosun Today”, an external propaganda outlet, released the details of the anti-smoking law. “You shouldn’t do the act of throwing out the ruin.”

In addition, institutions, companies and organizations established a separate smoking place in rooms with ventilation facilities or outdoors, and various health hazard warning pictures were posted in the smoking room to report the toxicity of cigarettes.

North Korea’s foreign propaganda media “Chosun Today” released the details of the anti-smoking law on the 12th. According to the anti-smoking law, smoking is prohibited while walking on the streets of cities and provinces such as Pyongyang. , and a health hazard warning picture indicating the toxicity of cigarettes should be posted in smoking rooms. [조선의 오늘 홈페이지 캡쳐=연합뉴스]

It also stipulated that the nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide content must be labeled along with a health hazard warning on cigarette packages, and not only trademarks, decorations, and brands that interest cigarettes were banned, but also advertisements or propaganda for the sale of cigarettes.

Tobacco cannot be sold to minors and students, and it has been decided not to allow the production, importation and sale of ornaments, toys and food products that imitate cigarettes. Violation of these rules can result in fines or even legal penalties.

North Korea also plans to reduce its production and sales channels. The media stressed that the tobacco production units will be deliberately consolidated and downsized, and the offer and sale licenses will be “limited as much as possible.”

In the past, North Korea allowed smoking in public places outdoors, such as bus stops, as well as indoors, such as restaurants. North Korea enacted the No Smoking Control Act in 2005 and attempted to reduce the smoking population of its residents by establishing a No Smoking Committee, but when it wasn’t easy, on the 4th of last month, the Standing Committee of the The Supreme People’s Assembly enacted the No Smoking Law.

Although North Korea began to control smoking in public places through the enactment of the anti-smoking law, questions remain about its effectiveness. A North Korean trader who visited Pyongyang several times in the past said: “North Korea created a non-smoking control law, but there were practically no smoking areas and residents naturally accepted smoking indoors. “Upper class people still smoke and are tolerant of tobacco. It will take time to change the atmosphere, ”he said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is chairing an expansion meeting of the Labor Party Political Bureau held at the Labor Party headquarters in Pyongyang on 29 last month. There are cigarette packs (red circles) and ashtrays on President Kim’s desk. [조선중앙TV 화면=연합뉴스]

In fact, after the enactment of the anti-smoking law, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un organized a Political Bureau meeting at Labor Party headquarters on the 15th and 29th of last month, but on both occasions cigarettes and ashtrays on the desk, so it is estimated that Kim still smokes inside.

Reporter Jeong Yong-soo [email protected]