Tobacco Age Unaffected by Counting Change
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South Korea’s legal age for buying liquor or cigarettes will remain the same despite the country’s adoption of international age-counting standards, according to the family ministry, reports The Korea Times.
Korea has traditionally considered newborns to be one year old, adding a year on the first day of each new year regardless of birth dates. The internationally recognized system is based on birth dates.
The change, which takes effect this week, makes those using the Korean age system one or two years younger, depending on their date of birth.
Under the Youth Protection Act, however, the legal age to purchase liquor and tobacco will remain at 19, meaning those born in 2004 or before can buy cigarettes or liquor.