Smoking by Both Students and Staff Inside Schools? Non-Smoking Area Management Under Fire

Claims of Blocking Student Filming and Sending Texts to Parents

Controversy Over 'Smoking Zones' on Campuses Designated as Non-Smoking Areas

Although the entire school is legally designated as a non-smoking area, repeated claims have been raised that smoking by students and staff is effectively being neglected at some schools.

According to an SBS report on April 26, a fire broke out on April 23 near a storage facility at a specialized high school in Jecheon, Chungbuk, after students were smoking cigarettes in the area. It has been alleged that the school authorities practically turned a blind eye to the incident.

The location where a fire broke out near a school meal service area in Chungbuk. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Under the National Health Promotion Act, all areas within elementary, middle, and high schools are designated as non-smoking zones. However, students at the school claimed that the site where the fire occurred had long been used as a de facto smoking area. One student raised suspicions that Principal A had tacitly permitted smoking there, stating that last year, during a gathering of the entire student body, the principal told students to "only smoke over there" and "if you smoke, just dispose of your trash properly." In response, Principal A reportedly expressed frustration at this interpretation, saying, "To claim that I condoned or encouraged smoking because of that is an exaggeration." However, it is also known that Principal A has personally smoked in that area.

There are also claims that Principal A scolded a student who filmed the scene during the fire. Furthermore, controversy is growing as it was revealed that the principal sent a text message to the parent of a student who reported the incident to the media, saying, "This is not something to be publicized," and "I ask for wise judgment." Regarding this school, there have been at least four complaints to the local education office since last year, alleging that both staff and students were smoking on campus, but no on-site investigation had been conducted. On April 27, the Chungbuk Office of Education launched an on-site investigation into the school.

Although the entire school campus is legally designated as a non-smoking area, there have been continuous allegations that smoking by students and staff is effectively being neglected in some schools. The Asia Business Daily

A similar controversy has arisen at a high school in Suncheon, Jeonnam. According to an MBC report on April 16, until recently, there was a designated smoking area inside the school building used by staff members. This area was located between the school cafeteria and the snack bar, a place frequented by students. Students who reported the issue complained that the smell of cigarettes was strong not only during lunch and break times but even when passing by during class.

The school authorities closed the smoking area after a formal complaint was submitted to the local education office earlier this month. A school official acknowledged the smoking and stated that the area has since been designated as a non-smoking zone, promising measures to prevent recurrence. However, the Suncheon City Health Center explained that, based on an on-site inspection, the area met the minimum requirement of being more than 10 meters from the facility entrance, and that they would continue to monitor the situation. The Jeonnam Office of Education plans to strengthen anti-smoking education and awareness campaigns for staff in light of this incident, and, if necessary, will consider supporting school anti-smoking programs in cooperation with the health center.

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