South Korean Parliament advances revision of tobacco law to include synthetic nicotine products, expected to generate $6.3 billion in tax revenue

Key points：

• The South Korean parliament is advancing revisions to the tobacco law, which will now cover synthetic nicotine products. 
• The bill is expected to increase tax revenue by approximately $630 million, but faces challenges in regulating "nicotine-like" products. 
• The South Korean Deputy Prime Minister stated that a decision on regulating "nicotine-like" products will be made after verifying their impact on health.

2Firsts, October 15, 2025 - According to reports from Korean Financial News, the Ministry of Planning and Finance in South Korea has announced the passing of an amendment to the Tobacco Business Act, which will tax and regulate synthetic nicotine products, including e-cigarette e-liquid. 

The amendment is expected to bring in an additional 930 billion Korean won (approximately $6.3 billion USD) in revenue. However, concerns have been raised about the proliferation of "nicotine-like products" being used to circumvent regulations on synthetic nicotine, prompting discussions about the need for further regulation. 

Park Seong-hun, a member of the National Power Party, mentioned that the amendment to the Tobacco Business Act was approved last month by the Strategic Finance Committee, which defines products made from nicotine as tobacco and thus subject to regulation, including e-cigarette e-liquid. The amendment is currently under review by the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, with a final vote expected to be held in a plenary meeting.

However, the tobacco industry is turning towards "nicotine-like" products.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Finance Ju Yunzhe stated: "The harm of 'tobacco-like substances' to the human body has not yet been confirmed."

 He added, "Therefore, if verified, these products can be considered as cigarettes, and I believe we should consider whether to tax or regulate them." 

A bill regulating nicotine-like substances has been submitted to Congress for review, expanding the definition of "cigarettes" from tobacco and synthetic nicotine to include: nicotine-like substances and cigarettes made from chemical materials. In addition, the amendment also includes a clause prohibiting the misleading labeling and advertising of non-tobacco products as cigarettes.

Image source: Korean Financial News