South Korea Expands Tobacco Definition to Include Synthetic Nicotine Products

The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced that the Tobacco Business Act has been amended to expand the definition of “tobacco” to include products containing nicotine — natural or synthetic — not just traditional tobacco leaf.As a result, liquid-type e-cigarettes that use synthetic nicotine will now be legally classified as tobacco.These products will now be subject to the same regulations and taxes as conventional tobacco — including restrictions on advertising and online or vending-machine sales, mandatory health warnings and labeling, bans on sales to minors, and consumption taxes.To ease the transition for existing retailers, the law provides a grace period: retailers have two years before distance-restriction rules apply; the tax burden on synthetic-nicotine products will be reduced temporarily; and existing stock or sales channels may continue until the law’s enforcement date (after a four-month transition period from enactment) under certain conditions.