iQOS Archives | Be Korea-savvy
S. Korea Counters Philip Morris’ Info Disclosure Lawsuit

S. Korea Counters Philip Morris’ Info Disclosure Lawsuit

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s food and drug watchdog said Monday it has filed a response to Philip Morris Korea Inc.’s lawsuit over the disclosure of information on its research on harmful substances found in alternative tobacco products. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it has selected a local law [...]

Local Gov’ts Feeling the Pinch as Smokers Switch to E-Cigarettes

Local Gov’ts Feeling the Pinch as Smokers Switch to E-Cigarettes

CHEONGJU, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — What on the surface appears to be good news actually has municipal governments worried. Last year, tobacco consumption tax revenues declined considerably, which may be interpreted by some as a sign of a healthier public who, deterred by a government-ordered price hike of around 80 percent, are willing to [...]

Preorders for Latest HNB E-Cig “Lil” Hit 10,000 in 2 Days

Preorders for Latest HNB E-Cig “Lil” Hit 10,000 in 2 Days

SEOUL, Nov. 15 (Korea Bizwire) – KT&G has exhausted its 10,000-unit supply of its HNB e-cigarette “Lil” within two days, according to the South Korean tobacco firm. Sold at GS25 convenience stores throughout the Seoul area, the pre-orders began on November 13 and ended around 5 p.m. the following day. Buyers can pick up their [...]

Philip Morris Claims IQOS Safer Alternative to Cigarettes

Philip Morris Claims IQOS Safer Alternative to Cigarettes

SEOUL, Nov. 14 (Korea Bizwire) – HNB (heat-not-burn) E-cigarette IQOS is much safer for smokers than a traditional cigarette, says Philip Morris International, and the company has the words of a medical expert to back up its assertion.  On November 14 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, Philip Morris Korea hosted a round table [...]

Gov’t Endorses Tax Hike for HNB E-Cigarettes

Gov’t Endorses Tax Hike for HNB E-Cigarettes

SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s parliament passed a bill Thursday to raise the tax on heat-not-burn (HNB) e-cigarette products amid a lingering dispute over whether they should be treated differently from conventional cigarettes. The revision bill calls for increasing the individual consumption tax rate for HNB tobacco products — such as Phillip [...]

KT&G Challenges Philip Morris, BAT with HNB Tobacco Product “Lil”

KT&G Challenges Philip Morris, BAT with HNB Tobacco Product “Lil”

SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean tobacco firm KT&G has thrown its hat into the HNB (heat-not-burn) tobacco product market with the release of “Lil”, unsettling market incumbents Philip Morris Korea and BAT Korea. A HNB tobacco product consists of an electronic device that, as its name suggests, heats tobacco sticks instead of [...]

Sales of E-Cigarettes Surge as Government Moves to Raise Tobacco Taxes

Sales of E-Cigarettes Surge as Government Moves to Raise Tobacco Taxes

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – With the South Korean government likely to raise taxes on heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco products, an increasing number of vapers are stocking up on HNB type e-cigarettes. According to sources from the convenience store industry on Tuesday, sales of the famous HNB e-cigarette IQOS have drastically increased since reports emerged earlier [...]

KT&G to Release Heat-not-burn Tobacco amid iQOS Growing Popularity

KT&G to Release Heat-not-burn Tobacco amid iQOS Growing Popularity

SEOUL, Jun. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — KT&G Corp. said Thursday it will soon release heat-not-burn (HNB) cigarettes amid the growing popularity of the smoke-free tobacco despite concerns of the emissions of toxic substances similar to those of conventional cigarettes. The largest tobacco manufacturer in South Korea will begin marketing the new product in September, a [...]

Will Philip Morris’ New E-Cig Put a Damper on South Korea’s Anti-Smoking Efforts?

Will Philip Morris’ New E-Cig Put a Damper on South Korea’s Anti-Smoking Efforts?

SEOUL, May 18 (Korea Bizwire) – On Wednesday, Philip Morris announced that it would begin selling its new e-cigarette iQOS in June, which is allegedly relatively harmless compared to typical cigarettes because it “heats” the tobacco leaves inserted into the device instead of “burning” them.  The announcement immediately posed a new concern for South Korea’s [...]