Home > National > Social Affairs

Cigarette costs may double, alcohol regulations in the works

Published: 28 Mar. 2026, 13:07 Updated: 28 Mar. 2026, 16:47

Cigarettes are displayed in a convenience store in Seoul [YONHAP]

The government is considering raising cigarette prices to around 10,000 won ($6.63), which has remained at 4,500 won for the past 11 years, and imposing a health promotion levy on alcohol.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on Friday that it held a meeting of the National Health Promotion Policy Deliberative Committee and approved the 6th Comprehensive National Health Promotion Plan (2026–30), which includes the measures.

Under the plan, the government set out a vision of “a society where everyone enjoys lifelong health,” with extending healthy life expectancy — the period a person lives in good health — and improving health equity as its key goals. The target healthy life expectancy for 2030 will remain unchanged at 73.3 years. Instead, the government aims to narrow the gap to 7.6 years or less between the top and bottom 20 percent income groups, and to 2.9 years or less between local governments in the highest and lowest 20 percent.

The government has placed greater emphasis on healthy life expectancy and equity, as related indicators have recently worsened. Healthy life expectancy fell for two consecutive years from 70.9 years in 2020 to 69.9 years in 2022, dropping below 70 for the first time in nine years. As a result, the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy widened from 12.3 years in 2018 to 12.8 years in 2022, indicating a longer period spent in poor health. The gap in healthy life expectancy by income level also increased from 8.1 years to 8.4 years over the same period.

Going forward, the government plans to review raising the health promotion levy imposed on cigarettes under the National Health Promotion Act and introducing a new levy on alcohol. For cigarettes, it intends to increase the levy and related charges to bring prices closer to the average among OECD countries, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). With the OECD average cigarette price reaching 9,869 won in 2023, domestic prices — currently at 4,500 won — are expected to rise to around 10,000 won.

Non-price regulations will also be strengthened. The government will consider banning flavor additives, prohibiting advertising and promotion of electronic cigarette devices and introducing standardized plain packaging. Through these measures, it aims to reduce the adult smoking rate by 2030 compared to 2024 levels — from 28.5 percent to 25.0 percent for men and from 4.2 percent to 4.0 percent for women.

The government is also reviewing stronger pricing policies for alcohol, including the introduction of a health promotion levy, in a bid to curb consumption. It plans to improve environments that encourage drinking, such as online “drinking broadcasts,” tighten monitoring of youth access to alcohol and expand restrictions on alcohol advertising.

Meanwhile, youth health has been separated as a standalone priority in the sixth plan. The government sees young adulthood as an early stage when health disparities begin to form and believes policy intervention can be particularly effective. It plans to expand mental health screenings for all young people and improve access to treatment by supporting initial medical costs.

Tailored health management services will be provided for vulnerable youth, including those preparing for independent living, young caregivers and those who are socially isolated or withdrawn. The plan also includes in-depth surveys to better understand the health conditions of youth in blind spots.

Health management in response to the climate crisis has been elevated to a new category. The government will expand its scope beyond extreme heat, cold waves and emerging infectious diseases to include chronic illnesses and mental health.

Chronic diseases have also been designated as a separate priority. The government plans to strengthen the role of primary care, establish prevention and management strategies for major chronic conditions and build institutional frameworks, including the formation of relevant committees.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY RHEE ESTHER [[email protected]]