Seoul looks to become ‘smoke-free’

Tobacco smoking is expected to be banned in all restaurants and other public facilities in Seoul by 2020 as the city seeks to make the metropolis ‘smoke-free’, according to a story in The Korea Times.

Seoulis currently playing host to the fifth meeting of the parties to the World Tobacco Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

According to a revised law that is due to become effective on December 8, tobacco smoking will be banned at about 80,000 restaurants, cafés and bars of more than 150 square meters in size. And the ban will be applied to smaller eateries in 2015.

The city will designate an additional 5,517 bus stops as no-smoking areas next year, and 1,305 areas around schools in 2014.

Along with these measures, the city will urge the central government to raise cigarette prices, which it believes is one of the most effective ways of curbing the smoking rate.