烟草在线据《韩国时报》报道编译　　一个国营健康促进机构的负责人说，政府有必要把每包卷烟的价格提高2000韩元（1.9美元），以降低韩国臭名昭著的高吸烟率。

　　“提高卷烟价格是个一举两得的举措，”韩国健康促进基金会（KHPF）主席Moon Chang-jin说，该举措有助于改善人们的健康状况，并减轻政府治疗吸烟相关疾病的经济负担。

　　“我希望政府大幅度提高卷烟价格。考虑到通胀率，每包卷烟的价格应该至少上涨1000韩元。如果上涨幅度翻倍至2000韩元将会更好，”Moon 12月3日在首尔汝爱岛的办公室内接受《韩国时报》的采访时说道。

　　经济合作与发展组织（OECD）的数据显示，2010年，韩国每包卷烟的平均价格为2500韩元，是其成员国中卷烟价格最低的国家。该价格是挪威和爱尔兰卷烟价格的六分之一，去年，这两个国家每包卷烟的平均价格为1.5万韩元。

　　2010年，韩国15岁及以上男性的吸烟率为40.8%，是经济合作与发展组织成员国中吸烟率最高的国家，表明较低的卷烟价格导致了高吸烟率。

　　这位公共管理者原来是一名官僚，他说，有明显证据可以证明卷烟价格和烟草消费之间的相互关系。他说，较高的卷烟价格可以降低吸烟率，尤其是降低低收入者和未成年人的吸烟率。

　　“众所周知，韩国的吸烟成本远远低于其他发达国家。如果你把卷烟价格与一杯咖啡的价格作对比，你就会很清楚地知道卷烟价格有多低。卷烟价格大约是一杯咖啡价格的一半。”

　　Moon同时也担任《世界卫生组织烟草控制框架公约》（WHO FCTC)）的主席，该国际组织负责监管有关烟草和卷烟制品的国际政策。

　　他说，该组织将继续在2014年于莫斯科举办的下届大会上探讨减少烟草消费的措施。

　　“完成通过提高卷烟价格和卷烟税降低烟草需求的指导方针的草案已处于最后阶段。我希望该指导方针将卷烟价格与通胀挂钩。”

　　Moon还表示，该大会将把焦点集中在控制无烟烟草上，因为无烟烟草对吸烟者产生新的健康威胁。来自釜山的Moon说，作为韩国健康促进基金会主席兼《世界卫生组织烟草控制框架公约》主席，他将不遗余力地改善韩国人民的健康水平。

Korea-South: 'Cigarette Prices Should be Doubled'

　　The chief of a state-run health promotion agency said the government needs to raise the price of cigarettes by 2,000 won ($1.9) per pack to cut the nation's notorious high smoking rate.

　　"Raising cigarette price is like killing two birds with one stone," said Moon Chang-jin, president of the Korea Health Promotion Foundation (KHPF), adding it helps to boost people's health and reduces the government's financial burden for treating diseases related to smoking.

　　"I want the government to raise cigarette prices dramatically. They should be hiked by at least 1,000 won per pack, considering the inflation rate. It would be better if the hike was doubled to 2,000 won," said Moon in an interview with The Korea Times in his office in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday.

　　According to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Korea's average cigarette price per pack was 2,500 won in 2010, the lowest among its member countries. It was about one sixth of that of Norway and Ireland whose cigarette prices per pack were 15,000 won last year.

　　The nation's smoking rate among men aged 15 or more was the highest among OECD member countries at 40.8 percent in 2010, hinting that the low price contributed to the high smoking rate.

　　The bureaucrat-turned-public administrator said that there is clear evidence which proves the correlation between cigarette prices and consumption of tobacco. Higher cigarette prices contribute to reducing the smoking rate, in particular among low-income earners and minors, he added.

　　"It is well-known that Korea's smoking prices are far lower than those of other advanced countries. You know clearly how cheap it is, if you compare it to that of a cup of coffee. Cigarette prices are about half of that of coffee."

　　Moon also chairs the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), an international institution which regulates international policies on tobacco and cigarette products.

　　He said the organization will continue to discuss measures to cut tobacco consumption in its next convention scheduled for 2014 in Moscow.

　　"We are in the final stages to complete a draft of guidelines for cutting tobacco demand with price and tax hikes. I expect the guidelines will get cigarette prices pegged to inflation."

　　Moon also said the convention will focus on controlling smokeless tobacco as it is posing new health threats to smokers. The Busan native said that he will spare no efforts to promote the health of Koreans as head of the KHPF and the WHO FCTC. Enditem