A view of the Gangnam District’s separated smoking booth installed along Teheran-ro. The facility features divided spaces for conventional cigarettes (left) and electronic cigarettes (right). (Image provided by Gangnam District)
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul’s Gangnam District has begun installing newly designed “separated smoking booths” along major commercial corridors, part of a broader effort to reduce secondhand smoke and ease tensions between smokers and pedestrians.
District officials said Thursday that the first booths have been placed near the DB Financial Center on Teheran-ro and around the Samwon Tower intersection by the Kukkiwon, a high-traffic area in southern Seoul.
Unlike conventional public smoking facilities, the new booths separate smokers from non-smokers not only spatially but also by smoking type. Traditional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes are assigned to different structures, a design intended to address complaints that arise when the two are used in the same enclosed space.
Cigarette booths are fully enclosed and equipped with smoke-control systems, air purifiers and air curtains to prevent leakage into surrounding sidewalks. E-cigarette booths, reflecting their comparatively lower odor and smoke levels, use a semi-open structure focused on ventilation and filtration.
A view of the Gangnam District’s separated smoking booth installed along Teheran-ro. The facility features divided areas for conventional cigarettes (left) and electronic cigarettes (right). The booth is about 10 meters long, with the space allocated at a 6-to-4 ratio between conventional and electronic cigarette users. (Image courtesy of Gangnam District)
Gangnam District said the facilities also introduce technologies not previously used by public institutions, including high-powered suction fans designed to capture smoke at its source and electrostatic filtration systems that reduce maintenance needs by eliminating frequent filter replacement.
Each installation measures roughly 10 meters in length, with cigarette and e-cigarette booths arranged in a 6-to-4 ratio. The facilities can accommodate 15 to 20 users at a time and operate daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
District Mayor Cho Sung-myung said the initiative aims to curb street smoking while improving walkability in one of Seoul’s busiest business districts. “By clearly separating pedestrian and smoking flows, we hope to significantly reduce secondhand smoke exposure and create cleaner, more comfortable streets,” he said.
Gangnam officials said the district will monitor public response and consider expanding the program if it proves effective.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
