It has been verified that automated kiosks for selling e-cigarettes are unable to identify fake identification cards. This implies that minors can readily buy e-cigarette products with counterfeit ID documents.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated on the 2nd that after conducting an extensive two-month examination of e-cigarette retail locations between April 24 and June 23, 168 out of 415 e-cigarette automatic dispensers permitted verification using fake or modified identity documents. Of those, 112 devices accepted all five categories of counterfeit or tampered ID cards.
Fake or modified identification documents used during the examination comprised a residence certificate bearing Dooly's photograph, along with two varieties each of residential certificates and driver's licenses showcasing images of fictitious adult men and women. Despite being evidently fake or tampered upon initial observation, these ID materials went undetected by the adult verification system designed for purchasing e-cigarettes.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government shared its views with appropriate organizations stating that since the present adult verification system used in e-cigarette vending machines has been found ineffective in detecting fake or modified identification documents, it is essential to enhance these systems—such as amending the implementation regulations under the National Health Promotion Act—to prevent minors from accessing e-cigarettes. Furthermore, they issued instructions urging upgrades to the adult verification processes at vending machine retail locations.
During the examination, it was found that stores selling e-cigarettes did not properly show warnings against selling to minors. Under the Youth Protection Law, businesses that sell tobacco products and automatic vending machines are required to put up uniform warning labels preventing the sale of cigarettes to young people. Nevertheless, just 58.6% of shops had these notices within their locations. Moreover, even where signs were present, several did not comply with the necessary standards.
Throughout this time, the Seoul Metropolitan Government carried out educational actions targeting vaping in smoke-free areas, uncovering 5,956 instances of people using e-liquids in these restricted spaces. The prevalence of liquid-based electronic cigarette use among adult men in Seoul rose from 3.4% in 2022 to 6.5% in 2025, almost doubling. At the same time, the rate of liquid-type electronic cigarette consumption among teens (in 2025) hit 2.4%, exceeding the overall cigarette smoking rate of 2.2% for the first time.