South Korea Implements Public Tobacco Harmfulness Management Program, Including 22 Harmful Components in E-Cigarettes

Key Points

• First harmful ingredient disclosure under Korea’s Tobacco Harmfulness Management Act.
• 44 harmful substances designated for cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
• 20 substances listed for liquid e-cigarettes, including nicotine, propylene glycol, and formaldehyde.
• Testing methods based on WHO and ISO international standards.
• Authorities pledge to expand disclosure and testing once new methods are prepared.

2Firsts, November 14, 2025 — According to Korean media reports, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety held the first 2025 Tobacco Harmfulness Management Policy Committee meeting on November 13, approving the new harmful-ingredient lists to be disclosed from next year.

Under the Tobacco Harmfulness Management Act, enacted in 2023 and effective from November 1, tobacco manufacturers and importers must conduct harmful-ingredient tests for each product category every two years by the end of June and submit results to the MFDS, which must publicly disclose the information.

The details to be released are finalized through deliberation and resolution by the 15-member Tobacco Harmfulness Management Policy Committee, consisting of government officials, experts, and consumer-group representatives.

At the meeting, the committee reviewed future operational plans and approved the operating regulations. These include specifying the expertise areas for nine civilian members—such as analysis, toxicology, medical science, public health, and communication—and defining grounds for disqualification or recusal. The committee also approved the list of harmful substances subject to testing and the specific test methods for each component.

Designated harmful substances include:

44 substances for cigarettes and heated tobacco products, such as tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, and benzene;

20 substances for liquid e-cigarettes, including nicotine, propylene glycol, and formaldehyde.

Test methods were developed with reference to standard protocols from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The MFDS and the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that they will continue expanding the disclosure of harmful-ingredient information to protect public health, and will increase the number of substances tested as new methods become available.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said, “We will continue to provide more harmful-ingredient information and expand the testing targets to protect the public from the health risks of tobacco.”

The MFDS added, “Through the newly launched committee, we will establish a scientific and objective basis for tobacco harmfulness management and transparently provide information to the public.”

Image source: Chosun Ilbo.