Travelers risk arrest, fines and smuggling charges for carrying e-cigarettes into 40-plus countries

South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a warning to travelers after Korean nationals were arrested or fined abroad for carrying or using e-cigarettes in countries with stricter regulations than South Korea's. The advisory comes as the summer vacation season approaches and as domestic e-cigarette rules — which now treat vaping products the same as conventional tobacco — have been in effect since mid-May.

A growing number of countries have been tightening e-cigarette regulations to protect public health and youth, the ministry said, and Korean travelers have recently been caught bringing in, using or possessing e-cigarettes in such countries, resulting in arrests and fines under local law.

More than 40 countries — including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, India, Australia and Mexico — treat the manufacturing, sale, retail distribution, importation and use of e-cigarettes as criminal offenses, the ministry said, urging Korean nationals visiting those destinations to exercise particular caution. While conventional cigarettes may be smoked in designated areas in those countries, e-cigarettes are banned outright.

Travelers should particularly avoid making false declarations or concealing e-cigarettes during airport baggage checks in an attempt to evade detection, the ministry warned. Such conduct can lead to a smuggling investigation.

In addition, travelers transiting through countries where e-cigarettes are banned should be alert to potential problems during security screening or baggage re-check procedures.

Because regulations vary by country and can change at any time, the ministry advised travelers to check the latest information through the website of the relevant Korean diplomatic mission before departure.

The ministry also noted that some countries apply different rules by region or ban only certain types of e-cigarettes, such as flavored products, and urged travelers to review the relevant regulations carefully before their trip.

Domestically, South Korea has been conducting regular inspections since mid-May to enforce a ban on e-cigarette use in no-smoking zones and to check compliance with tobacco retail and advertising regulations. Using an e-cigarette in a designated no-smoking zone now carries the same fine as smoking a conventional cigarette.