KT&G and PMI Partner to Expand E-Cigarette Market in Central and South America

PMI by 2FIRSTS.ai
May.09.2024
KT&G and PMI Partner to Expand E-Cigarette Market in Central and South America
KT&G and PMI partner to expand e-cigarette market in Central and South America, with PMI launching KT&G's "lil" globally.

According to a report by South Korean media outlet View.Nate on May 9, the South Korean company KT&G plans to enter the Central and South American market for its e-cigarette product "lil" through a partnership with Philip Morris International.

 

PMI will actively sell KT&G's e-cigarette products and will sell its "lil" product globally outside of South Korea.

 

According to reports, on the 2nd day, PMI successfully launched its new e-cigarette "IQOS Iluma" in Mexico. Following the new product launch in Mexico, PMI plans to introduce IQOS in Brazil. The company submitted an approval application for IQOS products to Brazil in March last year, aiming to further promote its non-combustible products in the Central and South American markets.

 

Thanks to the diversity in the non-combustible product market in Central and South America, this has also driven the demand for PMI's KT & Ge-cigarette product "lil".

 

Jorge Calleja, Marketing Director of PMI Mexico, stated, "After 5 months of preparation, we have finally launched 'IQOS Iluma' in the Mexican market. This is an important milestone in our push for smoke-free products in Mexico."

 

In January 2023, KT&G and PMI signed a new long-term contract for the international marketing of "lil," agreeing to a 15-year agreement that will last until 2038. PMI has promised to sell at least 16 billion units of KT&G e-cigarette products over the next year.

 

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis to hold public hearings on e-cigarette use in the 2026 spring session
Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis to hold public hearings on e-cigarette use in the 2026 spring session
Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis will hold public hearings regarding the use of e-cigarettes. The topic has been included in the 2026 spring session work plan of the Milli Majlis Committee on Agrarian Policy. During the spring session, the committee plans to convene a public hearing titled “Health is our goal: an end to e-cigarettes.”
Jan.23 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Surrey councillor calls for tougher vape sales controls, seeking the “most restrictive legally supportable” package
Surrey councillor calls for tougher vape sales controls, seeking the “most restrictive legally supportable” package
Surrey Councillor Gordon Hepner presented a notice of motion calling on council to “wage war on vaping” by strengthening controls on the sale of vaping products in the city, citing vaping as a “serious health concern,” especially among youth. Hepner said the motion directs staff to bring back the “most restrictive legally supportable” package from the City’s 2019 bylaw work to materially reduce where and how vape products can be sold, including licensing controls and enforcement.
Feb.10 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Exclusive | EU Confirms End of Tobacco Policy Expert Group, Explores New Cooperation Structures as TPD Revision Continues
Exclusive | EU Confirms End of Tobacco Policy Expert Group, Explores New Cooperation Structures as TPD Revision Continues
2Firsts reporting shows that, as the European Union moves toward a future evaluation of its tobacco legislation, the Tobacco Policy Expert Group—long a key platform for coordination among Member States—formally concluded its mandate at the end of 2025. At the same time, the European Commission is exploring new cooperation structures to address the resulting institutional gap.
Jan.22
South Korean Court Strikes Down Health Levy on Vape Nicotine Liquids, Citing Disproportionate Penalties
South Korean Court Strikes Down Health Levy on Vape Nicotine Liquids, Citing Disproportionate Penalties
A Seoul court has annulled South Korea’s health-levy assessments imposed on multiple importers of nicotine liquids used for vaping. While the court agreed the nicotine could be treated as “tobacco” because it was found to be leaf-derived, it ruled the levy—stacked with other taxes and calculated on a blunt, volume-only basis—was so severe it effectively deprived businesses of the ability to operate, breaching constitutional proportionality and equality standards.
Jan.26 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Product | VOZOL launches new GEAR-series device in the UK and UAE, featuring a 2.1-inch colour screen and sound interaction
Product | VOZOL launches new GEAR-series device in the UK and UAE, featuring a 2.1-inch colour screen and sound interaction
Vape brand VOZOL has recently listed a disposable shisha-style product, the GEAR HOOKAH 40000, on its official website. Public information shows the device comes with a 26ml e-liquid capacity, offers 3mg/ml and 5mg/ml nicotine strengths, and is marketed at 25,000–40,000 puffs. It is currently available via selected online retail channels in the UK and the UAE.
Feb.04 by 2FIRSTS.ai
KDCA youth panel: health indicators worsen with grade level; liquid e-cigarette use tops cigarettes among 11th-grade students
KDCA youth panel: health indicators worsen with grade level; liquid e-cigarette use tops cigarettes among 11th-grade students
Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Youth Health Panel Survey (2025) Final Results Report says key adolescent health indicators worsen as students move up grade levels. By 11th grade, lifetime tobacco experience rose to 9.59%. Among 11th-grade girls, current use of liquid e-cigarettes (1.54%) surpassed conventional cigarettes (1.33%) for the first time.
Feb.10 by 2FIRSTS.ai