JTI Registers 102 Vape Designs in Korea Since Last Year

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has registered over 100 designs related to e-cigarettes with the Korean Intellectual Property Office since last year. This has raised speculation about JTI's re-entry into the Korean market, especially with recent rumors of their preparations to release electronic cigarettes in the domestic market. However, JTI has not confirmed any concrete plans regarding re-entry into the Korean electronic cigarette market.

According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office, JTI has registered a total of 102 designs related to electronic cigarettes from last year to the present. This includes 27 designs registered this year and 75 designs registered last year. Notably, JTI has registered designs for both electronic cigarette devices and related parts.

There are recent speculations in the tobacco industry about JTI Korea's potential re-entry into the electronic cigarette market. It is expected that JTI Korea may add cartridge cases for stick-type devices when replacing cigarette displays at convenience stores early next year.

JTI entered the Korean electronic cigarette market in 2019 with their product called Plume Tech. However, it did not gain much popularity and sales were discontinued in Korea in 2021. Plume Tech drew attention as a hybrid-type electronic cigarette that used liquid cartridges instead of sticks, unlike KT&G's 'Lil', Philip Morris' 'IQOS', and BAT's 'Glo'. Since then, JTI has primarily focused on the traditional cigarette market.

JTI has been expanding its electronic cigarette business globally, excluding Korea. In fact, JTI plans to launch more than 10 new stick-type electronic cigarette products in multiple countries this year. In April, JTI introduced 'Plume X' in Italy.

With recent product launches by BAT and KT&G, the possibility of JTI's re-entry into the electronic cigarette market has increased. BAT unveiled the liquid-type electronic cigarette brand 'Views', the top liquid-type electronic cigarette brand in the US market, in Korea on the 24th. KT&G also released the stick-type electronic cigarette 'Lil Hybrid 3.0' on the same day.

While competitors are expanding their influence in the rapidly growing electronic cigarette market, JTI seems to be struggling to gain market experience and competitiveness.

According to Euro Monitor, the size of the heated electronic cigarette market in Korea has grown from 498.9 billion won in 2017 to 1.7839 trillion won in 2018, 1.8544 trillion won in 2019, 1.955 trillion won in 2020, and 2.4182 trillion won in 2021. It is projected to grow to 2.9315 trillion won by 2025.

However, JTI Korea has not confirmed any specific plans regarding the release of electronic cigarettes. A JTI Korea representative stated, "We are considering various possibilities," and explained that the registration of electronic cigarette design patents was done on a global scale for countries where they have entered the market.

Reference:

[1] JTI, 이번엔 전자담배 내놓나…2년간 디자인 102건 등록