North Korea is cracking down on public smoking in Pyongyang.
“The Pyongyang party committee and people’s committee issued joint orders on June 7 launching an anti-smoking campaign across the city, focusing especially in Jung, Hwasong, Potonggang and Pyongchon districts,” a source in Pyongyang told Daily NK recently.
The order reportedly stated: “We won’t interfere with people smoking in their own homes, but let’s not smoke on the streets of our beautiful capital city—think about how vulgar that must look to foreigners.”
The orders emphasized smoking’s harmful effects and stressed that officials at all levels should quit smoking, both for their health and to set an example in the anti-smoking campaign.
The directive also expressed strong concern about teenage smoking: “We must strengthen the anti-smoking campaign to prevent young children from picking up this habit.”
Under the new orders, Pyongyang will strictly enforce the smoking ban on streets and in public spaces through mid-July.
“They’re monitoring high-traffic areas like crosswalks, bus stops, parks, theater plazas, sidewalks, and bridges. Law enforcement is particularly focused on places where young people, students, women and children gather,” the source explained.
Inspection teams from the Socialist Women’s Union of Korea, the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea and the Socialist Patriotic Youth League are currently patrolling each district. School teachers are also being stationed around schools and on student routes to catch violators.
“There was a crackdown last year too, but this year’s is much tougher. What’s different is that middle school boys are under constant surveillance and their pockets are being searched more frequently,” the source said.
The inspection squads randomly stop young pedestrians to search their pockets. If they find cigarettes or lighters, they immediately notify the student’s school and their parents’ organizations.
“These measures go beyond just restricting behavior. When students are caught, their names, ages, and gender are announced publicly, and their parents’ political organizations are notified as well. These orders are clearly meant to teach a harsh lesson,” the source said.
There’s been some quiet criticism from North Koreans about the campaign.
“Some people are complaining that it’s hypocritical for the regime to tell people not to smoke for their health when Kim Jong Un is always walking around with a cigarette in his mouth or between his fingers,” the source said.
The regime has been pushing North Koreans to quit smoking ever since passing anti-smoking legislation in 2020. But many believe the campaign’s impact is weakened by leader Kim Jong Un, a heavy smoker who’s often seen smoking on state media.
