Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations

Gyeonggi-do recently filed a lawsuit against KT&G for not making fire safe cigarettes and asked the company to pay for damages caused by fire started by cigarette. The cigarettes that KT&G export to the U.S. are automatically put out when left alone, while cigarettes sold in Korea burn even faster when left unattended, starting a fire by causing nearby items to catch fire. Therefore the Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations demands the company to make fire safe cigarettes that are automatically put out when left alone for domestic consumers, while promoting quit smoking campaigns and gradually banning smoking.

1. KT&G says that the person who smoked the cigarette that started a fire is 100% responsible. However, since all industrial products are prone to cause safety hazards, generally the manufacturer must take some safety measures against accidents that can be caused by reckless use of their products. Therefore, KT&G’s blaming the smoker for not putting out the cigarette properly and starting a fire is socially unacceptable, and we think KT&G is more responsible for the fire.

2. KT&G became a private company after 100% of its shares were taken over by private investors. It’s a global company with more than 50% of its shares is owned by foreign investors. Above all, it is a well-known fact that cigarettes made by KT&G and exported to theU.S. and other countries received a certificate after passing non-combustibility tests. Despite this, the company has been making and selling combustible cigarettes. This provides proper grounds to the claim made on the lawsuit, which is written “This is a case where the manufacturer could have reduce or avoid damages or risks if it applied a reasonable alternative design, making the products unsafe.” Without a doubt, this is considered a ‘design defect’. In addition, KT&G is held responsible for damages caused by illegal activities made possible by such defect.

3. 37 states in the U.S. have already enacted fire safe cigarette laws as a measure to reduce the number of cigarette-related fires. Canada has also enacted the laws in October 2005. To this, Gyeonggi-do plans to propose to the government to impose 100 won per pack of cigarettes as fire prevention cost so as to prevent damages caused by cigarette ignited fires and create a fund for fire fighting.

According to ‘The Analysis Results of Fires in 2008’ announced by the National Emergency Management Agency, there were a total of 49,631 fires in the past one year, and 7,223 (14.6%) of which were caused by cigarettes. Fires caused by cigarettes are a serious threat resulting in the deaths of even non-smokers and loss of public properties. Fires caused by cigarettes are costing lives and properties, so it’s not a problem for just autonomous regional governments but a national problem. That’s why the government should step ahead in this matter. Furthermore, KT&G is in fact deceiving people by exporting fire safe cigarettes and yet making highly combustible cigarettes for the domestic market, and we urge the company to immediately start making fire safe cigarettes.

4. The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations supports Gyeonggi-do in the lawsuit filed against KT&G, and requests Seoul Metropolitan City, other autonomous regional governments, and the Korea Forest Service to file similar lawsuits. At the same time, the council strongly urges the government to come up with legal measures and laws related to fire safe cigarettes.

February 5, 2009

Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations	President	Kim Cheon-ju
Green Consumer Network in Korea	Standing Representative	Lee Deok-seung
National YWCA of Korea	President	Gang Gyo-ja
Korean Federation of Housewives Clubs	President	Kim Cheon-ju
Consumers Korea	President	Kim Jae-ok
National Council of Homemakers’ Classes	President	Lee Yun-ja
Korea Consumer Affairs Institute	Director	Kim Yeon-hwa
Korea Consumer Education Center	Director	Jeon Seong-ja
Consumers Union of Korea	President	Jeong Gwang-mo
Korea YWCA	General Affair Manager	Lee Hak-yeong
Korea Woman Association	President	Kim Gyeong-in

Green Consumer Network in Korea, National YWCA of Korea, Korean Federation of Housewives Clubs, Citizens Association for Studying Consumer Problems, National Council of Homemakers’ Classes, Korean Consumer Affairs Institute, Korea Consumer Education Center, Consumers Union of Korea, Korea YWCA