Competitive Landscape
Kt&G Corp Strengthens Leadership with Portfolio Innovation and Stability
Cigarettes in South Korea is highly concentrated, with KT&G Corp commanding a dominant position in 2025 with a 67% retail volume share. Over the past five years, the competitive structure has become more concentrated as KT&G increased its share from 65%, while Philip Morris Korea Inc saw its share decline from 15% to 14%.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Cigarettes industry in South Korea with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
If you're in the Cigarettes industry in South Korea, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Cigarettes in South Korea report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Cigarettes in South Korea?
- Which are the leading brands in Cigarettes in South Korea?
- How are products distributed in Cigarettes in South Korea?
- Which category is the most heavily taxed in South Korea?
- How is the operating environment for Cigarettes changing?
- What are the current legislative restrictions applicable to the sale of Cigarettes products in South Korea?
- How has COVID-19 impacted demand?
- How have national lockdown and enforced home seclusion following COVID-19 impacted sales?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Cigarettes in South Korea - Category analysis
Key Data Insights
Cigarettes Summary
Brands Retain Relevance among Cross-Format Users through Innovation
Hybrid Usage Patterns Grow
Standardised Pricing and Tax Policy Drive Innovation Focus
Performance Declines Gradually Due to Hybrid Usage
Capsule and Superslim Innovation Sustains Loyalty Amid Hybrid Usage
Kt&G Corp Strengthens Leadership with Portfolio Innovation and Stability
Convenience Stores Leverage Accessibility to Reinforce Dominance
Strict Regulation Limits Channel Innovation and E-Commerce Uptake
Taxation Rates
Average Cigarette Pack Price Breakdown
Social Acceptability Pressure and Ritual Preservation Create Two Distinct Innovation Pathways
Odour-Reduction Capsule Technology and Cross-Format Hybrid Compatibility Define the Recent Innovation Pipeline
User Retention Focus and Channel Concentration Determine How Innovation Value Flows to Manufacturers
Nicotine in South Korea - Industry Overview
2025 Developments
Key Data Insights
Shifting Consumer Preferences Sees Decline in Cigarettes
Jti Strengthens User Loyalty by Combining Device Upgrades and Flavour Innovation
Mons Broadens Consumer Choice with Disposable E-Vapour Launch in Convenience Stores
Tax Reform Drives E-Vapour Price Surge and Boosts Heated Tobacco Retention
Tax Reform Drives E-Vapour Price Surge and Boosts Heated Tobacco Retention
Kt&G Extends Lead through Innovation in Reduced-Risk Products
Convenience Stores Maintain Dominance through Accessibility and Repeat Purchases
Brand Stores and E-Commerce Support Device Sales but Face Regulatory Limits
Format Maturation and the Search for Retention-Driven Differentiation Steer Product Development
Next-Generation Device Features, Slim-Format Refinements and Friction-Free Disposables Represent the Primary Recent Innovations
Ecosystem Strength and Dual-Format Portfolio Depth Determine Which Manufacturers Capture Long-Term Value
Legislation
Legislative Overview
Minimum Legal Smoking Age
Smoking Prevalence
Tar Levels
Health Warnings
Plain Packaging
Advertising and Sponsorship
Point-Of-Sale Display Bans
Smoking in Public Places
Flavoured Tobacco Product Ban
Vapour Products
Production/Imports/Exports
Country Reports Disclaimer
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Cigarettes
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- Fine Cut Cigarettes
Cigarettes
RETAIL SALES OF DUTY PAID CIGARETTES The definition of cigarettes for the purposes of this study is duty-paid, machine manufactured white-stick products. This does not exclude brands of cigarettes that do not use white paper but it is designed to exclude the volume of non-machine manufactured products such as bidis/beedis (India) and papirosy (Russia), and other smoking products made with tobacco but that either do not resemble cigarettes as recognised in the US or Europe, or those that are not machine manufactured. The exclusion of these products is intended to give a more accurate picture of the "true" market for cigarettes and cigars which has been distorted in official statistics and published reports because of the inclusion of hybrid products. NB Please note that due to its central importance and integration into the industry mainstream, Indonesia’s market data does include hand-rolled kreteks DUTY-FREE sales are excluded from retail sales, as are herbal cigarettes. ILLICIT TRADE CIGARETTES Not included in retail sales, but split out separately in volume terms only. Defined as non-duty paid cigarettes (includes smuggled & counterfeit/fake products combined). Legitimate cross-border sales are considered duty-paid. Sales arising from a foreign national purchasing cheaper cigarettes in bulk in a neighbouring country for personal use and exported back are attributed to the country where the purchase is made (e.g. bulk cigarette sales by British nationals in France are attributed to France).
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Cigarettes research and analysis database.
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