Market report: South Korea – times of change

Tobacco sales have dropped from 2014, showing the continued effect the increased prices seen in 2015 and the anti-tobacco campaign implemented by the government. E-cigarettes – although having registered a slight sales growth in Q2 2020 – seem to be stuck in the middle, as the government’s recommendations to ban e-liquid e-cigarettes have had a substantially negative impact on the market. This report offers an overview of the current situation for e-cigarettes in the South Korean market, focusing on distribution channels, hardware and e-liquid, and import and export evolution.