South Korea Has Released A Draft Regulation On Harmful Components Of Tobacco Products.

On June 11, 2025, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea issued Announcement No. 2025-250, notifying of the "Regulations on Harmful Components in Tobacco and Other Products" (draft). The regulations specify the harmful components in tobacco products and the detection methods. The regulations will come into effect on November 1, 2025.
Definitions related to tobacco products
Tobacco: Refers to tobacco that is made from tobacco leaves as the sole or partial raw material and is suitable for smoking, sucking, inhaling vapor, chewing or sniffing.
2. Cigarettes: These are cigarettes made by adding flavors and other ingredients to tobacco, cutting it to a certain width, and then rolling it using cigarette paper on a cigarette-making machine to make it easier to smoke. They also include similar types of cigarettes that can be smoked.
3. Electronic cigarettes: Refers to cigarettes made by using electronic devices to inhale nicotine solution, tobacco and tobacco solids through the respiratory system into the body, as well as similar cigarettes that can produce the same effect as smoking.
(1) Liquid-type electronic cigarettes: Refers to electronic cigarettes that use nicotine solution, namely e-liquid electronic cigarettes.
(2) Cigarette-type electronic cigarettes: Refers to electronic cigarettes that use tobacco and tobacco solids, namely heated non-burning tobacco (HTP).
(3) Other electronic cigarettes: Refers to other types of electronic cigarettes.

4. Electronic cigarette devices: Refers to electronic devices that heat nicotine solutions, tobacco solids, etc., and then inhale the e-cigarette smoke.
44 kinds of harmful components in cigarettes and HTP:
Nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, acetone, cumene aldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, styrene, phenol, catechol, meta-catechol, ortho-catechol, meta-ortho-methoxyphenol, ortho-methoxyphenol, catechol, methyl ethyl ketone, acrylonitrile, benzene, toluene, lead, nickel, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, selenium, mercury, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, acrylaldehyde, pyridine, quinoline, NNN, NNK, NAT, NAB, ammonia, 1-amino naphthalene, 2-amino naphthalene, 3-amino biphenyl, 4-amino biphenyl, benzo pyrene.
20 harmful components in e-liquid electronic cigarettes:
Nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerol, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, cuminaldehyde, lead, nickel, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, selenium, mercury, NNN, NNK, NAT, NAB.