South Korea Imports 12,126 Kg of Nicotine Analogues From April to August After Bringing Synthetic Nicotine Under Tobacco Law
South Korea imported 12,126 kg of nicotine analogues from April to August 2026 after synthetic nicotine was brought under tobacco law, while synthetic-nicotine imports and conventional vape stores declined.Summary
South Korea's amended Tobacco Business Act took effect on April 24, 2026, broadening the definition of tobacco to include products made wholly or partly from tobacco or nicotine, thereby bringing synthetic-nicotine vaping products under tobacco tax, retail and advertising rules. Customs data show that 12,126 kg of nicotine analogues worth $463,422 were imported from April through August, with 10,222 kg recorded in April alone, accounting for 73.2% of all nicotine-analogue imports since the customs category was introduced in October 2025. In contrast, synthetic-nicotine imports fell from a record 589,165 kg in March 2026 to 231,663 kg total from April through August. Retail channels also shifted: physical liquid-vape stores in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province fell 9.9% from 2,643 in March to 2,381 in August, unmanned outlets rose from 309 to 314, and online sales listings grew from 27,774 in mid-April to 42,437 by early August. A June government investigation of 105 products marketed as nicotine-free detected nicotine in 13 and 6-methylnicotine in 12, prompting referral for potential Tobacco Business Act violations and recommendations to suspend sales. South Korean authorities are now considering whether the tobacco definition needs to be broadened again to cover nicotine analogues such as 6-methylnicotine, while also proposing stricter rules for unmanned vape stores and online sales.
(Source：2Firsts)
