South Korea updates cigarette pack warnings: 'The end of smoking is lung cancer'

Cigarette packs in South Korea will soon carry a stark new warning: 'The end of smoking is lung cancer.' This updated messaging, along with revised graphic warnings, is set to take effect on December 23, following a six-month grace period. The revisions are part of an ongoing effort to encourage smokers to quit and prevent non-smokers from starting.

Since the introduction of warning labels in 2016, South Korea has updated them every two years. This latest revision replaces phrases like 'The road to lung cancer' with the more definitive 'The end of smoking is lung cancer.' Similarly, warnings about laryngeal cancer have been updated. To convey health risks more effectively, warnings related to sexual dysfunction have been removed, and kidney cancer has been added as a new health consequence.

The graphic warning for secondhand smoke is also changing. The previous image of a baby with a cigarette in a bottle will be replaced by an image of an infant on oxygen support. The accompanying text will shift from 'The path to making others sick' to 'The path to making babies sick,' making the target of harm more specific.

Electronic cigarettes will also see updated warnings. The messaging will change from 'Nicotine addiction, exposure to carcinogens!' to 'Nicotine addiction! Risk of cancer!' Health authorities stated their commitment to pursuing tobacco control policies that align with international standards, including expanding the area dedicated to warning labels on cigarette packaging and devices.

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To enhance the effectiveness of cigarette pack health warnings, we will continue to pursue tobacco control policies that align with international standards, such as expanding the area for warning labels on cigarette devices.