Health Ministry Requests Cancellation of 2023 Korea Vape Show

As reported by the Chosun Ilbo, the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare has called for the cancellation of the 2023 Korea Vape Show, scheduled to be held at KINTEX in Goyang City, as the event publicly displays e-cigarettes in violation of relevant regulations. Brands such as HQD, ELFBAR, SMOK, GEEKVAPE, SMISS, Aspire, INNOKIN, and ELUX have already participated in the show.

According to sources from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the event, organized by The Fairs and the Korea E-cigarette Promotion Committee, is set to take place from July 21 to 23 at KINTEX in Goyang City. As per Korean law, indoor smoking must be conducted in a completely enclosed smoking room, but in this event, e-cigarette displays are reported to take place on an open stage.

The organizers have stated that smoking has been banned in public areas within the exhibition venue, such as lobbies, corridors, and cafes, but displays still take place on booths and stages. In the 2022 event, participants even performed smoke-spewing performances on stage. When local health departments conducted site inspections, the organizers interrupted the display activities to avoid penalties.

This year's event also planned to host a fan signing session for a famous Japanese adult film actress and a gambling event with well-known adult magazine models. The organizers stated they would prohibit minors from entering and would require ID proof at the site.

KINTEX has held coordination meetings with Gyeonggi Province, Goyang City, local health centers, and the National Cancer Center, and sent a cancellation request to the organizers, but the organizers reportedly said it is difficult to cancel the event.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare also issued a public letter requesting the cancellation of the event. A related person from the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated:

"Considering health promotion, we have expressed concerns about some issues and sent a withdrawal request letter weeks ago. If activities such as e-cigarette displays are carried out, indoor smoking might occur, and if there is no entrance and exit control, teenagers might watch, which is a concern for us."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to conduct on-site inspections on the day of the event to ascertain if there are any violations, such as indoor smoking in no-smoking zones. The Ministry also plans to impose penalties such as fines for regulatory violations unless measures such as establishing a completely enclosed smoking room within the exhibition venue are taken.

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