Korea vape expo asked to cancel? Organizer responds: "Will proceed as scheduled"

Recently, South Korean media reported that officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare have sent a letter requesting the cancellation of the 2023 Korea Vape Show, which is scheduled to be held at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX). The reason given was that it does not align with health promotion efforts, and if access control is not implemented at the entrance, minors may attend the exhibition.

According to current regulations in South Korea, indoor smoking is only allowed in fully enclosed areas. The Ministry of Health and Welfare also plans to conduct on-site inspections on the day of the vape exhibition, and if the organizers do not establish a fully enclosed smoking room, they will face fines and other penalties.

Reports indicate that Gyeonggi Province has held meetings with Goyang City, the National Cancer Center, and KINTEX to discuss measures regarding the vape exhibition. Subsequently, KINTEX sent three letters to the organizer, The Fairs, requesting the cancellation of the vape exhibition.

In response, The Fairs stated that they have submitted a resolution plan to KINTEX regarding the issues raised and emphasized that they will not cancel the exhibition. A representative from The Fairs highlighted that during the past three vape exhibitions, officials from the local public health center inspected the venue and found no issues.

Additionally, The Fairs stated in an official response to industry participants that this exhibition complies with current South Korean laws and is authorized by relevant government departments. Previously, the Korea Vape Show was organized by The Fairs' partner, KECIA, but that partnership has now ended, and The Fairs has signed a new partnership with the Korea Vape Association. The 2023 Korea Vape Show will be organized by The Fairs, and KECIA has no authority to cancel the exhibition, which will proceed as scheduled.

According to information, this exhibition is the fourth Korea Vape Show (Korea Vape Show 2023), lasting three days, and will be held from July 21 at KINTEX in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province. As of now, the organizers of the Korea Vape Show have not announced any cancellation, and on July 12, they reiterated on their official website the Exhibitor Guidelines, reaffirming that the exhibition will take place next week.