The Seoul Administrative Court has partially ruled in favor of vape juice importers in a lawsuit challenging the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s imposition of National Health Promotion Charges, according to The Korea Herald, finding that while vape juices should be legally classified as cigarettes, the charges applied were excessive and violated principles of proportionality and equality.
The court noted there was no evidence the importers intentionally misled authorities when declaring their products as derived from tobacco roots and stems, and highlighted that the levies—ranging from 278 million won to 1 billion won ($192,000 to $691,000)—exceeded sales revenue by up to 3.5 times, making payment effectively impossible. The ruling also criticized the flat-rate charge of 525 won ($0.36) per milliliter regardless of nicotine content, saying it failed to reflect differing health risks or serve the law’s public health objectives, while reaffirming that vape juices fall under the Tobacco Business Act’s definition of cigarette products.
