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:
Disclaimer
This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.
Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.
The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.
This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.
Copyright Notice
This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.
No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.
For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.
AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice
Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.
Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.
