Cigarette packs sold in South Korea will carry graphic images showing the harmful effects of smoking starting this month, the government said Thursday.

Earlier this year, a related law was passed to introduce a total of 10 graphic health warnings to be placed on the upper part of both sides of a cigarette packet. The photos are required to cover more than 30 percent of both sides of a packet, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.     


All cigarette packs have to carry one of the 10 designated full-color and disturbing photos alongside warning texts on the adverse health effects of smoking.

The graphic warnings show smokers suffering from fatal diseases, such as lung cancer, oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, heart attack and stroke, while warning of serious side effects like second-hand smoking, smoking by pregnant women, sexual dysfunction, skin aging and premature death, according to the ministry.

The ministry said it will take one month to see cigarette packs with pictorial warnings in the market given production and distribution procedures.

The smoking rate among South Koreans, aged 19 or older, dropped to 39.3 percent last year from 43.1 percent in 2014. It marked the first time that South Korea's smoking rate fell below 40 percent.

The decrease is apparently attributable to sharp hikes in tobacco prices here, with the price for pack rising from 2,500 won ($2.09) to 4,500 won early last year. (Yonhap)