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Using HTP in South Korea

Profile
South Korea Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
South Korea Background
Profile
South Korea Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2024.   Page updated: 2026-06-16

In South Korea, Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) are regulated as tobacco products and are allowed for sale and use excluding online sales. These products are available in specialised retail stores. The law does not allow health benefit claims regarding HTPs and mandates manufacturers to place health warning on their packaging. Notably, there are no restrictions on their flavours.

Available data show fluctuations in the number of HTP users over recent years in South Korea. The estimated number of HTPs users was around 2.0 million adult people in 2018 and 2.6 million adult individuals in 2023. The current prevalence of HTP use was 5.7% in 2023.

Prevalence

Year Value Reference/Comment
2018 1.9 million 1A A
2019 2.7 million 1B A
2020 2.3 million 1B A
2021 2.0 million 1B A
2022 2.6 million 1C A
2022 2.6 million 1D B
2023 2.6 million 1E A
References:
  1. 1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7425751/ 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. 1. https://nosmk.khepi.or.kr/ntcc/eng/subIndex/547.do 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  3. 1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11596473/ 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  4. 1. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (2023), Korea Health Statistics 2022: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IX-1), Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Osong, https://knhanes.kdca.go.kr/knhanes/sub04/sub04_04_01.do. Cited in Park, J. E., Jeong, W. M., Choi, Y. J., Kim, S. Y., Yeob, K. E., & Park, J. H. (2024). Tobacco Use in Korea: Current Epidemiology and Public Health Issues. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 39(45), e328. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e328 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  5. 1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41657541/ 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Comments:
  1. Cohort: 19+. World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. Percentage of adults aged 19 and older who reported the current use World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Year Value Reference/Comment
2018 4.4% 2A A
2019 6.2% 2B A
2020 5.1% 2B A
2021 4.6% 2B A
2022 5.9% 2C A
2022 5.9% 2D B
2023 5.7% 2E A
References:
  1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7425751/
  2. https://nosmk.khepi.or.kr/ntcc/eng/subIndex/547.do
  3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11596473/
  4. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (2023), Korea Health Statistics 2022: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IX-1), Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Osong, https://knhanes.kdca.go.kr/knhanes/sub04/sub04_04_01.do. Cited in Park, J. E., Jeong, W. M., Choi, Y. J., Kim, S. Y., Yeob, K. E., & Park, J. H. (2024). Tobacco Use in Korea: Current Epidemiology and Public Health Issues. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 39(45), e328. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e328
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41657541/
Comments:
  1. Cohort: 19+.
  2. Percentage of adults aged 19 and older who reported the current use
2.4%
3 A
2022
9.2%
3 A
2022
References:
  1. 1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41657541/ 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41657541/
  3. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (2023), Korea Health Statistics 2022: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IX-1), Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Osong, https://knhanes.kdca.go.kr/knhanes/sub04/sub04_04_01.do. Cited in Park, J. E., Jeong, W. M., Choi, Y. J., Kim, S. Y., Yeob, K. E., & Park, J. H. (2024). Tobacco Use in Korea: Current Epidemiology and Public Health Issues. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 39(45), e328. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e328
Comments:
  1. Cohort: 19+. World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. Cohort: 19+.
  3. Percentage of adults aged 19 and older who reported the current use

Product promotion

References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Heated Tobacco Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 16 July 2025.

Regulation

Year Value Reference/Comment
2023 Allowed 1A A
2024 Allowed 1B
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Heated Tobacco. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/heated-tobacco/countries?country=403. Accessed: 11 July 2025.
  2. Anti-smoking Global Index. (2024). [Data set]. https://antismoking.global/
Comments:
  1. It requires a business license.
Yes
2 A
2024
References:
  1. Anti-smoking Global Index. (2024). [Data set]. https://antismoking.global/
  2. 1. Global Tobacco Control. Heated Tobacco. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/heated-tobacco/countries?country=403. Accessed: 11 July 2025. 2. Global Action to End Smoking. State of Smoking and Health in Republic of Korea. Available at: https://globalactiontoendsmoking.org/research/tobacco-around-the-world/republic-of-korea/. Accessed: 17 July 2025.
Comments:
  1. Considered as “electric cigarettes using tobacco”.

Availability

References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Heated Tobacco. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/heated-tobacco/countries?country=403. Accessed: 11 July 2025.
  2. Anti Smoking Global Index. Heated Tobacco Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 16 July 2025.
  3. 1. Philip Morris International website. Available at: https://www.pmi.com/smoke-free-products/iqos-our-tobacco-heating-system; 2. WHO (2018) Heated tobacco products (Htps) market monitoring information sheet. Available at: https://www.who.int/tobacco/publications/prod_regulation/htps-marketing-monitoring/en/ ; 3. Korea Bizwire (2017). KT&G Challenges Philip Morris, BAT with HNB Tobacco Product �Lil�. Available at: http://koreabizwire.com/ktg-challenges-philip-morris-bat-with-hnb-tobacco-product-lil/100430; 4. BAT Harm Reduction Report 2018. Available at: https://www.bat.com/group/sites/uk__9d9kcy.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DO9DCL3P.
Comments:
  1. It requires a business license.
  2. 1. IQOS; 2. glo; 3. lil

Regulations and restrictions

References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Heated Tobacco. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/heated-tobacco/countries?country=403. Accessed: 11 July 2025.
  2. Anti Smoking Global Index. Heated Tobacco Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 16 July 2025.

Publications

Retail volume of cigarette and HTP markets in selected countries

Retail volume of cigarette and HTP markets in selected countries

Heated tobacco product (HTP) sales have seen significant growth since 2016, in Asia Pacific and Western and Eastern Europe. In many countries, this has coincided with a drop in cigarette sales. Data on retail volume sales of cigarettes and HTP are both measured in sticks, but one HTP stick may not be a perfect substitute for people who smoke, as it contains a lower dose of nicotine than one cigarette. Nevertheless, retail volume sales figures do suggest varied substitution effects in the following countries:

  • approximately one–to-one substitution of HTP sticks for cigarettes: Hungary, South Korea, Italy, Germany.
  • cigarette sales drop faster than HTP sales increase: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Russia, Japan, Greece.
  • cigarette sales drop slower than HTP sales increase: Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Portugal.

See "The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2024: A Situation Report" for more information.

The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.