SEOUL, May 16 (Korea Bizwire) — Since mask wearing has become no longer mandatory in outdoor places, non-smokers are increasingly frustrated with outdoor smoking.
Various online communities are increasingly talking about frustrations over street smoking, which was once part of everyday life in the pre-pandemic era.
For smokers, in contrast, the end of the outdoor mask rule comes as a psychological relief.
In the southwestern Seoul ward of Yeongdeungpo, which includes finance and investment banking district Yeouido, 58 cases of cigarette littering when the outdoor mask rules were still in place from April 25 to May 1 spiked to 92 cases per week since the mask rules were lifted on May 2, an increase of 60 percent.
In Jongno Ward, comprised mostly of business districts rather than residential areas, daily cigarette littering jumped from 92.2 cases between April 25 and May 1 to 106.5 cases between May 2 and 8.
Image Credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
