Korea Vape Be Included In Tobacco Product Same Level Regulation

South Korean parliament passes new law: Vapes officially included in ‘tobacco products’, fully subject to same level regulation

According to ChosunBiz, the South Korean National Assembly recently passed a bill including 79 bills, one of which classifies liquid vapes (commonly used in South Korea to refer to atomized e-cigarettes that use e-liquid) as tobacco products.

Quick overview of key points:

1. The South Korean National Assembly has passed 79 bills at once, including regulatory classification for products such as “liquid vapes”.
2. Liquid vapes will be classified as tobacco products and subject to relevant tobacco laws and regulations, just like traditional cigarettes.
3. After classification, vapes may face tobacco taxes, sales restrictions, advertising bans, and restrictions on usage locations – similar to the regulatory intensity of traditional tobacco.
4. This decision reflects the South Korean government and legislative body’s emphasis on the potential health risks of vapes, as well as the tightening trend of public health policies.
5. For vape and smoke-free product companies, this move may change their market layout and compliance costs in South Korea.

In the comprehensive bill passed by the South Korean National Assembly, “liquid vapes” have been officially included in the classification of tobacco products, introducing a regulatory mechanism equivalent to traditional tobacco.

Previously, vapes were often in regulatory gray areas in South Korea and many other parts of the world, with unclear legal definitions and significant differences in taxes and fees. Now, this gray area has been filled, and liquid vapes will be subject to a series of policy constraints including sales licenses, tax collection, advertising and promotion restrictions, warning label requirements, and possible public place bans.
Legislators stated that this measure aims to prevent minors from being exposed to vapes, reduce their abuse, and prevent the health risks of the new generation of tobacco and nicotine consumption.
For the industry, this means that vape and related product suppliers entering the Korean market must re-examine product compliance, pricing, promotion, and sales strategies. The operating costs, tax burden, and market access threshold will significantly increase.
For the public health system, this is seen as an important step in strengthening the regulation of new nicotine and vapes, helping to unify tobacco regulatory standards and reduce abuse or evasion caused by regulatory differences.
Given the regulatory trend in South Korea, it is expected that more detailed provisions such as packaging standards, nicotine concentration restrictions, and sales channel regulation may also be introduced in the future.
The Legislative and Judicial Committee of the South Korean National Assembly has passed an amendment to the Tobacco Industry Act on November 26, 2025, deciding to include synthetic nicotine vapes in the definition of “tobacco” to fill regulatory gaps

What impact does it have on Chinese vape manufacturers?

The production scale of vapes and related products in China accounts for over 90% of global exports of vapes, e-liquids, and equipment, with a significant share of exports to South Korea. In recent years, the import volume of vapes in South Korea has surged – from 98 tons in 2021 to 316 tons in the first nine months of 2024. Most of them come from Shenzhen vape manufacturer. The reclassification of vape this time will have a major short-term negative impact on Chinese vape companies.