Key Takeaways
- South Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy requested police investigations into three companies on May 4.
- The companies are suspected of manufacturing tobacco without permission and selling products through prohibited mail-order and electronic transactions.
- The ministry said the companies were not designated as tobacco retailers.
- Products involved include high-concentration nicotine solutions and flavoring agents for liquid manufacturing.
- If violations of the Tobacco Business Act are confirmed, the companies could face up to three years in prison or fines of up to KRW 30 million, or about USD 20,437.
2Firsts, May 6, 2026
According to chosun, South Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy requested the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency and Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency to investigate three sales companies on suspicion of violating the Tobacco Business Act.
Companies selling high-concentration nicotine solutions online are expected to face investigation
The report said companies that sold high-concentration nicotine solutions, whose online sales were prohibited starting last month, are expected to face police investigations.
According to the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the three companies are suspected of manufacturing tobacco without permission and selling it through prohibited mail-order and electronic transaction methods.
The ministry also said the companies were not designated as tobacco retailers.
Ministry confirmed online sales of the products
The Ministry of Finance and Economy confirmed that the companies sold high-concentration nicotine solution products and flavoring agents for liquid manufacturing on online sites.
The ministry also found evidence that advertisements promoted mixing nicotine solution products with liquids and encouraged consumers to easily blend, dilute and inhale them for e-cigarette use.
Violations could carry prison terms or fines
If violations of the Tobacco Business Act are acknowledged, the companies could face imprisonment of up to three years or fines of up to KRW 30 million, or about USD 20,437 based on an exchange rate of KRW 1,467.94 per U.S. dollar.
The report said the revised Tobacco Business Act, implemented on the 24th of last month, expanded the definition of tobacco raw materials from the previous “leaves” to “tobacco or nicotine.”
As a result, synthetic nicotine liquid e-cigarettes that had been in a regulatory blind spot were brought under the regulatory framework.
This is the first investigation request after the legal revision
The report said the investigation request marks the first case following the revision of the law.
The Ministry of Finance and Economy said it will continue monitoring online distribution trends in cooperation with related institutions and respond strictly by reporting suspected violations to investigative agencies.
Ministry urged consumers to be cautious
The ministry also emphasized that consumers should be cautious not to purchase and use high-concentration nicotine solutions sold online without authorization.
Image Source:chosun
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