
The South Korean government will be able to designate spaces within apartment complexes as no-smoking zones beginning September, after getting consent from residents.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it will make an advance notice of the enforcement ordinance of the revised National Health Promotion Act on Monday.
Under the revised rules, the heads of the municipal governments can designate alleys, stairways, elevators and underground parking lots of an apartment as no-smoking zones if more than half of the apartment residents consent to it.
If the new law is realized, then no-smoking signs will be set up in the respective spaces and people lighting up within these areas will be subject to fines.
However, smoking on apartment terraces, which has been a growing source of conflicts among residents, has been excluded from the regulation. The ministry said it is difficult to regulate a private space.