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Vending machines installed at an unmanned e-cigarette shop / Yonhap

The government is pushing to designate unmanned e-cigarette stores as establishments prohibited from admitting or employing juveniles, as the absence of on-site staff makes age verification difficult. The measure aims to eliminate regulatory blind spots in unmanned shops and preemptively cut off youth access to e-cigarettes.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on the 14th an administrative preview of a draft administrative notification to designate unmanned e-cigarette retailers as establishments banned from juvenile entry and employment.

This notification focuses on closing age verification gaps stemming from unmanned sales operations beyond simple sales restrictions, following recent amendments to the Tobacco Business Act. The administrative preview runs from today through October 6. The ministry plans to finalize the notification within the year after gathering opinions, undergoing regulatory review, and obtaining a decision from the Youth Protection Committee.

The notification applies to unmanned e-cigarette shops where owners or employees are not stationed, selling e-cigarette devices and liquids through vending machines and similar equipment.

Once the notification takes effect, these shops will be designated as venues off-limits to youth entry and employment under the Youth Protection Act. Business owners and staff must verify customer ages to block minors from entering and display notices stating that youth access and employment are restricted.

Employing minors can lead to up to three years in prison or fines of up to 30 million won. Allowing juveniles inside without verifying age, or failing to display youth entry and employment restrictions, can each result in penalties of up to two years in prison or fines of up to 20 million won.

Yoon Se-jin, Director General for Youth Policy at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated, "Unmanned e-cigarette shops have limitations in preemptively stopping juveniles from entering and buying on site because sellers are not present." Yoon added, "We will thoroughly gather field feedback during the administrative preview period and refine the system meticulously so youth cannot easily access e-cigarettes."

                                                                                                            Kim Bo-young