The Seocho ward office in Seoul said Wednesday it plans to implement a new regulation in late October that would strengthen a distance requirement in a bid to reduce the number of tobacco retailers on par with the levels of advanced countries.

Under the regulation, the distance of any future smoke shop from others would have to be widened to 100 meters from the current 50 meters. For tobacco shops to be installed in such large buildings as a bus terminal, the shops would most likely be within 50 meters of each other, so the new regulation makes it difficult for two smoke shops to be located in such a building.

The municipal government expects the regulation, if implemented, will reduce new tobacco shops by half. Last year, 120 new cigarette stores and 27 on the premises of buildings started business in the southern Seoul ward.

Ward officials said the new regulation is aimed at keeping tobacco retailers away from each other and youth in order to help improve public health.

They also expect the number of cigarette retailers per ward population to be reduced. The ward's population per cigarette shop stands at 412, higher than the average for South Korea at 389, but lower than those of Songpa, Gwanak and Dongjak wards at 566, 560, 465, respectively.

In terms of population per shop, Seocho trails the United States at 1,071, Britain with 915, France with 1,955, Spain with 3,206 and Japan with 413.

The ward office said it would accelerate the "No Puffing Ward" policy down the road.

So far, it has implemented a smoking ban near subway stations.

The municipality has instituted a measure to crack down on anyone smoking within 10 meters of 121 exits of the ward's 22 subway stations. Offenders of the ban face a fine of 50,000 won ($45). (Yonhap)