Asia
North Korea Bans Smoking in Public Places for Health, ‘Cultural’ Reasons
Undated photo shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un holding a cigarette as he inspects flood recovery efforts in Kangwon Province, North Korea. / KNS / Kyodo
By Kyodo News 6 November 2020
BEIJING—North Korea has decided to ban smoking in public places in order to protect “the lives and health of the people” and provide “more cultured and hygienic living environments”, state-run media reported Thursday.
All eyes are now on whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, an avid smoker whose health has been subject to speculation in the past, will set an example for his country’s citizens following the enactment of the “tobacco-prohibition law.”
