JTI Korea, a unit of Japan Tobacco International, is pushing deeper into Korea's competitive tobacco market with the launch of Ploom Aura, its most advanced device yet.
The launch signals JTI's increased focus on reduced-risk products at a time when heated tobacco claims an ever-larger slice of Korea's total tobacco market, growing nearly ninefold over the past seven years.
"The Korean tobacco market is one of the most advanced in the world, both in terms of product diversity and the speed of technological adoption," said Irina Lee, general manager of JTI Korea, during a press conference Tuesday.
"Ploom has evolved to meet the needs and expectations of Korean adult consumers, and is poised to set a bold new benchmark for the future of heated tobacco."
The device, smarter and slimmer than its predecessor, features JTI's proprietary fourth-generation heating technology for more precise temperature control and richer flavor. Users can toggle between four modes via a dedicated smartphone app, which also enables battery monitoring, device tracking and remote locking.
Coming in four colors with over 500 accessory combinations, the new device officially launches on April 14, priced at 59,000 won ($39).
The company said the new device is built on lessons learned from Ploom X Advanced, its previous heated tobacco device that marked JTI Korea's return to the market in 2024 after a three-year hiatus.
"We are very happy with the response from consumers and the growing trend Ploom X Advanced has demonstrated over the last 18 months," JTI Korea's Marketing Director Frederic Estripeau said.
"This really allowed us as a company to gather a number of great insights," he added, noting that consumer feedback fed directly into Aura's development.
JTI has set its sights on a mid-10s percentage share in the global heated tobacco category by 2028, backed by 800 billion yen ($5 billion) in planned investment from 2026 to 2028.
"Launching Ploom Aura in Korea will play a meaningful role in achieving this global ambition," Lee said.
minmin@heraldcorp.com
