Ministry of Gender Equality announces public notice period through Oct. 6
Move aims to close loopholes from fake IDs and lack of on-site staff
Unmanned vape shops to be barred from admitting or employing minors
Minors will soon be barred from entering unmanned e-cigarette shops, which have long been criticized as an easy avenue for young people to purchase vaping products.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced Monday that it has issued a public notice of a proposed directive to designate unmanned e-cigarette retailers as establishments off-limits to minors for entry and employment.
The public notice period runs through Oct. 6. The ministry will then gather public feedback and conduct a regulatory review, followed by a decision by the Youth Protection Committee, with the directive expected to take effect as early as this year.
The proposed directive applies to shops that sell e-cigarette devices and the liquids used in them through vending machines or similar automated systems, without an owner or employee present on-site.
Once the directive is enacted, affected shops will be required to verify the age of anyone entering the premises, post notices stating that minors are barred from entry and employment, and take all other necessary steps to prevent minors from gaining access.
An amended Tobacco Business Act that took effect in April banned online sales of liquid e-cigarettes containing synthetic nicotine and made it mandatory for unmanned vape shops to install adult-verification devices.
However, calls for stricter oversight have consistently grown, as unmanned shops make it difficult for sellers to directly verify a buyer's age and remain vulnerable to the use of forged or altered identification documents.
Once the directive is in place, owners and employees will be required to check the age of anyone entering and prevent minors from coming inside. Violations will be punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($14,900). Failure to post notices about the ban on minors entering or being employed will carry the same penalties.
The full text of the proposed directive is available on the ministry's website.
"Because no seller is present at unmanned e-cigarette shops, there are inherent limits to blocking minors from entering and purchasing products on the spot," a ministry official said. "We will gather a wide range of opinions during the public notice period and work to carefully strengthen the system so that minors cannot easily access e-cigarettes."
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