Title : Tobacco control legislation in Korea: A descriptive policy analysis of the 21st and 22nd national assemblies
Abstract:
Background: Tobacco-control policies in South Korea have expanded following ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. However, recent declines in smoking prevalence have slowed, while the rapid spread of novel tobacco products has created new regulatory challenges. This study aimed to examine tobacco control legislation introduced during the 21st and 22nd (up to December 2025) National Assemblies of Korea and to explore emerging legislative trends and future directions for public health policy.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive policy analysis of tobacco-related bills introduced in the 21st and 22nd National Assemblies. Bills were identified through the National Assembly Legislative Information System using the keywords “tobacco,” “smoking,” and “smoking cessation.” After eligibility screening, bills substantively related to tobacco control were included. Bills were categorized according to policy theme, legislative proposer, and legislative outcome, and enactment rates were compared between Assembly terms.
Results: A total of 159 tobacco-related bills were included, of which 46 were enacted. The enactment rate increased from 25.3% in the 21st National Assembly to 35.0% in the 22nd National Assembly. Government proposed bills showed the highest enactment rates in both Assembly terms. In the 21st National Assembly, expansion of smoke-free areas accounted for the largest proportion of enacted legislation, whereas legislation expanding the legal definition and regulatory scope of tobacco products became the dominant theme in the 22nd National Assembly. Major enacted legislation included the expansion of smoke-free zones around schools and childcare facilities, mandatory government verification and public disclosure of tobacco ingredient data through the Act on the Management of Harmfulness of Tobacco, and revision of the Tobacco Business Act to include nicotine-based novel tobacco products within the legal definition of tobacco.
Conclusion: Tobacco-control legislation in Korea has increasingly shifted toward regulation of novel tobacco products and expansion of tobacco-related public health regulations. The higher enactment rate observed in the 22nd National Assembly may reflect increasing legislative and societal interest in tobacco control. However, limitations remain regarding taxation policy and premarket regulation of novel tobacco products. These findings may help inform future tobacco-control strategies and public health legislation in rapidly evolving nicotine-product environments.
