[Summary] "President Moon said he would lower it" Public anger over 'cigarette price increase plan'... Government "No concrete review yet"

On the 27th, Ministry of Health and Welfare includes '5th National Health Promotion Comprehensive Plan'
Na Kyung-won: "President Moon is the one who said lowering indirect taxes is right"
Government: "No concrete progress on alcohol and tobacco price hikes"
"Sufficient social discussion, research, and review will be conducted"

President Moon Jae-in / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Discontent is growing as the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 'Comprehensive Plan for National Health Promotion,' which includes a tobacco price increase, has been announced. Some have criticized the plan by recalling former President Moon Jae-in's past remarks that "raising tobacco prices is an oppression on the working-class economy." Amid the growing controversy, the government clarified that "nothing has been specifically decided" regarding the tobacco price increase proposal.

Earlier on the 27th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the '5th Comprehensive Plan for National Health Promotion (2021?2030)' through an official press release. The plan includes measures to consider raising the prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco to reduce high-risk drinking rates and smoking rates.

In particular, the ministry added that it intends to raise tobacco prices to the average level of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries by 2030. The average tobacco price in OECD countries is $7.36 (approximately 8,100 KRW), nearly double the current 4,000 KRW range.

As this news spread, voices of dissatisfaction erupted in some quarters. Some netizens criticized on social networking services (SNS) and online communities, saying, "It's effectively a tax increase on the working class," "Prices of tobacco and alcohol are being squeezed even more during the tough times of COVID-19," and "Isn't national health just an excuse?"

On the Blue House's public petition board, a petition calling for the withdrawal of the price increase plan for alcoholic beverages and tobacco was also posted that day. One petitioner who posted a petition titled "Opposition to Tobacco and Alcohol Price Increases" said, "There are both non-smokers and smokers, so what is this forced national health? Is it reasonable to raise prices under this pretext?" and added, "Just be honest and say you want to collect more taxes."

Former People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who declared her candidacy for the Seoul mayoral by-election, visited Eunma Apartment in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 27th to inspect aging facilities and then responded to questions from the press. / Photo by Yonhap News

Criticism also came from the opposition, describing it as an 'unavoidable decision.' Na Kyung-won, a former People Power Party lawmaker running in the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election, wrote on her Facebook on the 28th, "Raising tobacco and soju prices in this situation? Is this the right time to announce such things?"

She continued, "People are already complaining that the prices of groceries are soaring to the sky, and there is hardly anything suitable to buy when going to the market," adding, "Now they say they will raise tobacco and alcohol prices as well. This is too harsh news for our people who have nowhere to find comfort."

Na also criticized by quoting former President Moon's past remarks. She pointed out, "Didn't President Moon say six years ago that he regretted not being able to stop the Park Geun-hye administration from raising tobacco prices?" and "He was the one who said that indirect taxes like tobacco prices should be lowered."

In fact, in January 2015, when Moon Jae-in was running as the leader of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (the predecessor of the Democratic Party of Korea), he apologized with "I'm sorry" after meeting a party member complaining about the tobacco price increase at a bakery in Gunsan, Jeonbuk.

Also, in his 2017 autobiography 'Korea Asks,' President Moon criticized the Park Geun-hye administration's tobacco price increase policy, saying, "Tobacco is also a tool that soothes the worries and sorrows of our working-class people, but the Park Geun-hye administration took that away."

On the 27th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the "5th National Health Promotion Comprehensive Plan," which includes a measure to raise cigarette prices to the average level of OECD countries, sparking public dissatisfaction.

In the autobiography, President Moon pointed out, "Tobacco prices are a large part of the living expenses of working-class people," and "Raising them all at once like this is an outrageous oppression when viewed from the perspective of the working-class economy."

Amid the growing controversy over the tobacco price increase proposal, the government clarified on the 28th that there has been "no specific review" of the plan to raise prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

Sohn Young-rae, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Welfare, explained at a regular COVID-19 briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong that morning, "It was reported as if alcohol and tobacco prices would be raised immediately," adding, "Currently, as this is a time to focus on COVID-19, there has been no review on this matter, nor any concrete promotion."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare also stated in a press release that day, "The extent and timing of the tobacco price increase have not been specifically decided," and "This is a matter that requires sufficient social discussion, research, and review in advance regarding the effects of price policies, appropriate levels, and correlations with smoking rates, and is not something to be implemented in the short term."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.