Tobacco lawsuit rejected in South Korea

A lawsuit against a formerly state-run tobacco manufacturer has been rejected in South Korea.

KT&G was once under state control, until 2002, when it was privatised. It still has a monopoly on the tobacco market in South Korea. 36 people who suffered from cancer initiated a lawsuit against the company in 1999. They claimed the company had failed to warn consumers about the health risks of tobacco. The company was also accused of failing to display adequate health warnings on cigarette packaging.

The case was rejected by court because there was not deemed to be adequate evidence that the cigarettes were produced by KT&G.

The group of consumers were asking for around $326,000, but all insisted that it was the principle of the issue, and not money, that was important to them. A spokesperson said they were “very disappointed.”

Asian countries have among the highest prevalence of smoking in the entire world. The habit has resulted in huge numbers of lung cancer and heart disease cases, with public health systems bearing the brunt of the increased cost these illnesses have brought.

From 2012, Seoul City will ban smoking from outdoor spaces including bus stops, parks, schools and other public places. However, cigarettes are still cheap to buy. Anti-smoking groups in South Korea estimate that the habit kills 50,000 people each year. One group said that KT&G has “neglected people’s right to life,” by failing to admit culpability for the illnesses they have caused.