Korea - South: Public Smoking Ban to Strengthen  

Source from:  Jeju Weekly (kr) 06/27/2013

The Ministry of Health and Welfare will strengthen the smoking ban in public facilities such as government offices, restaurants, bars and coffee shops to promote health and prevent passive smoking.

From July 1, 2013, the crackdown will begin and both smokers and business owners will be fined. "PC rooms" will also be included in the ban from June 8 (Sat) to prevent passive smoking in public facilities and youth smoking; however, they will be given the option to include a smoking room until Dec. 31. If there is no smoking room, users can't smoke on the premises.

Many youths smoke on such premises and even the division of smoking and non-smoking sections has done little to prevent passive smoking. PC rooms have been identified as one of the hardest premises to enforce the ban and will have until December 31, 2013 to comply to the law.

A Ministry of Health and Welfare official said "expanding non-smoking areas is not to disadvantage smokers but to stop harm to non-smokers." By reducing smoke in PC rooms, the indoor environment will be fresher, public health will improve and PC rooms will become more open to all in the community. Enditem