There is a possibility that cigarette prices, which have held at 4,500 won per pack (20 sticks) for 11 years, will rise. A plan also emerged to impose the health promotion surcharge, currently levied only on tobacco, on alcohol as well. That would make cigarettes and alcohol more expensive.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 27th that it convened the National Health Promotion Policy Review Committee and approved the Sixth National Health Promotion Comprehensive Plan (2026-2030). Under the National Health Promotion Act, the plan is a pan-government comprehensive blueprint that sets mid- to long-term policy directions for promoting public health and preventing disease.
The goal of the sixth plan is "a society where everyone enjoys health throughout life." It consists of seven divisions and 32 key tasks.
◇The OECD average cigarette price is about 10,000 won per pack
The performance indicator for "smoking cessation" related to tobacco, the "adult male tobacco product use rate," is 36% as of 2024, with a goal of lowering it to 29% by 2030. The adult female tobacco product use rate was 6.9% in 2024, with a target of 6% in 2030.
To meet the smoking cessation target, the ministry said it would oversee and control new types of tobacco such as synthetic nicotine to prevent indiscriminate market entry. It will also push to ban flavor additives in tobacco. It will seek a total indoor smoking ban for all buildings.
On the sales side, it will push measures to ban cigarette displays and advertising at retail outlets and to expand the area of warning images on cigarette packs. It will also seek to ban advertising and promotions for devices used exclusively to vape electronic cigarettes.
On prices, it will raise the health promotion surcharge and other levies to approach the World Health Organization (WHO) average. Korea raised the price of a pack of cigarettes from 2,500 won to 4,500 won starting in 2015. Of the 4,500 won, the tobacco consumption tax is 1,007 won, the National Health Promotion Fund is 841 won, the special consumption tax is 594 won, and the local education tax is 443 won. The various taxes and surcharges included in a pack total 3,323 won, accounting for 73.8%.
In Article 6 (price and tax measures to reduce demand for tobacco) of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the WHO recommends setting the ratio of total taxes and surcharges to the retail price of tobacco at 75% or higher. Korea thus has room to raise retail cigarette prices by increasing surcharges.
In 2023, the average cigarette price across the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was 9,869 won per pack.
◇Health promotion surcharge levied only on tobacco, review underway to apply it to alcohol
For the key task of "moderate drinking," the performance indicator "adult male high-risk drinking rate" is 18.6% in 2024, and the "adult female high-risk drinking rate" is 8.6%. The ministry set a goal of lowering these to 17.8% and 7.3%, respectively, by 2030.
To promote moderate drinking, the government will survey drinking in public places and strengthen legislation to regulate it. It will also prepare guidelines so local governments can designate alcohol-free zones in public places to limit access to alcohol.
It will also pursue measures to establish or expand the scope of alcohol advertising bans and targets. The plan includes banning alcohol advertising conducted directly or indirectly on social media (SNS).
On the price front, it will review measures to impose a health promotion surcharge to induce a reduction in alcohol consumption. Currently, only tobacco is subject to the health promotion surcharge, but the idea is to levy it on alcohol as well.