Government Signs Anti-Tobacco Treaty

Korea has signed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which was adopted at the May 56th general meeting of the World Health Organization. The Minister of Health and Welfare, Kim Hwa-jung, signed the FCTC, while visiting the U.S.

The treaty, in order to reduce the number of smokers dramatically, advocates, among other things, a comprehensive ban or restrictions on tobacco advertising and promotion and a requirement not to have seducing cigarette packaging or design and taxation or a pricing policy that requires to be established in consideration of public health.

“The FCTC is the first treaty on the health related issues that international community has adopted for the first time. It shows us the fundamental direction for each country’s tobacco policy,” a Korean representative to the United Nations explained.

The treaty, however, was adopted without having resolved dissenting opinions of major tobacco industry related countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany, so whether those countries will join the treaty or not is getting high attention.

Kwan-Hee Hong konihong@donga.com