North Korea, which has been focusing on corona prevention for several months, is now ordering residents to quit smoking. It seems to have something to do with corona prevention, not just because of health.
This is reporter Kim A-young.
This is a video from North Korea’s Chosun Central TV that explains how the Corona 19 virus spread.
[조선중앙TV : 공기졸(공기 중에 떠다니는 미립자)이 있는 비루스(바이러스)는 담배 연기처럼 흡입되게 됩니다.]
It is striking to explain the path of infection to cigarette smoke inhalation, and the Chosun Central News Agency also warns that smokers are at greater risk of corona19 infection.
It seems that North Korea’s anti-smoking law was created last month while focusing on quarantine.
Smoking is viewed as a problem for quarantine, not just for residents’ health.
It is still unclear how effective the smoking cessation policy will be.
Even though tobacco control laws are already in place, North Korean society is tolerant of tobacco, as about one in two North Korean men is a smoker.
Chosun Joongang TV also emphasized smoking cessation for many years, but the effect does not seem to be great.
[조선중앙TV (2016년 방송) ; 아주머니들이 말하는 거를 남자들이 귀담아듣지 않는단 말입니다. 아, 요만한 담배, 요것 하나 제때 못 끊는단 말입니까?]
The fact that Chairman Kim Jong-un, the top leader, does not participate in smoking cessation, is also countering the effect of the policy.
At the Political Bureau Expansion Meeting on the 29th of last month, after North Korea made the anti-smoking law, Chairman Kim smoked.
Chairman Kim, who is also an exception to wearing a mask, is likely to be an exception to the anti-smoking law, but the propaganda of the North Korean authorities who shouted smoking cessation while emphasizing the risk of corona is inevitably overshadowed.
(Video editing: Seungyeol Lee)
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