Advisory maintained

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will maintain its advisory discouraging people from buying e-cigarettes until the cause of a recent spate of vaping-related illnesses has been determined, reports Yonhap News Agency.

In October, the ministry advised consumers to refrain from using flavored e-cigarettes following a series of vaping-associated deaths and hospitalizations, primarily in the U.S.

Korean health authorities recently found minute traces in e-liquids of substances suspected of causing severe lung injuries, including vitamin E acetate, which U.S. health authorities have fingered as the main culprit behind the outbreak.

E-cigarette manufacturers expressed bafflement over the ministry’s announcement, emphasizing that they did not use vitamin E acetate or other dangerous substances.

“We’re thoroughly looking into the ministry’s findings,” said a representative of Juul Labs, which launched its products in Korea in May. “We will communicate actively with ministry officials regarding their testing methods and results.”

Earlier, the ministry said it would tighten security measures on e-cigarettes and imports of liquid nicotine and crack down on the sale and promotion of illegal tobacco products.