South Korea Agrees to Ease Sale of Cigarettes From U.S.
South Korea has bowed to U.S. pressure and agreed to remove most restrictions on the sale of imported cigarettes, which could cut their price by 76%, trade negotiators for both countries said Wednesday.
Hwang Doo Yun, chief negotiator for South Korea’s Trade-Industry Ministry, said the two sides also agreed to extend the talks one or two days to complete the negotiations on cigarettes, which had been due to end Wednesday.
Trade officials said South Korea will permit the prices of imported foreign cigarettes to be lowered from the present $1.76 a pack to about $1 a pack beginning in June.
South Korea’s domestic brands sell for up to 81 cents a pack.
The talks could not be finished in time because of a U.S. demand that South Korea permit cigarette advertisements through all news media, officials said. South Korea has said it would only allow ads in magazines.
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