South Korea Implements A Prohibition Of Smoking Near Kindergarten, Child Care And School

No smoking sign. (Unsplash/Tungsten Rising)

JAKARTA - The South Korean government implemented a 30-meter smoking ban from child care centers, kindergartens, to elementary, middle and upper schools from Saturday.

Previously, the smoke-free area in the country was set within 10 meters of the kindergarten and child care center.

However, in Thursday's announcement, the area of the regulation was added to 30 meters based on the revision of the National Health Promotion Act, 30 meters around schools were recently stipulated based on the Basic and Secondary Education Act.

"The expansion of a cigarette-free area around educational facilities is needed to protect the health of children and adolescents who are vulnerable to cigarette smoke exposure," said Baek Sung-taek, director of health policy at the Ministry of Health.

"We will continue to do our best to create a cigarette-free environment in the community," he said.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, those who violate this rule will be fined up to 100,000 Korean won (Rp1,162,484).

The expansion and establishment of a cigarette-free area near educational facilities is carried out after a one-year grace period to protect children and adolescents from cigarette smoke.

Based on this action, every city, district and district must install signs on the walls and sidewalks in the vicinity to show a limit of 30 meters of a cigarette-free zone around a child care center, kindergarten, as well as elementary, middle and upper school facilities.

The Ministry of Health and the Korea Health Promotion Development Institute plan to produce promotional materials, such as posters and banners and distribute them to local governments for public promotion.