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| A lawmaker has proposed a new bill to ban smoking while walking to protect pedestrians from secondhand cigarette smoke. Korea Times file |
By Jung Min-ho
Smoking while walking would be banned in Korea if a new bill passes into law.
Rep. Hwang Ju-hong of the minor liberal Party for Democracy and Peace proposed a bill early this month to ban smoking on virtually all public roads and walkways.
If the National Assembly passes the bill, violators would be fined 100,000 won ($90).
"Non-smokers are often exposed to tobacco smoke because of some inconsiderate smokers," Hwang said. "Public opinion is in favor of banning smoking while walking."
Korea has already banned smoking in most restaurants, offices and public venues such as parks.
Smokers opposed to the bill complain that there are not enough smoking rooms. According to the Seoul Institute's study in 2017, the number of public smoking rooms in the city with a population of 10 million people was only 10,000.
