Korean Public Health Advocates seek new Alcohol Action Plan

Professor Sungsoo Chun, one of Korean’s leading advocates, writes:

The Blue Bird Plan¹ launched by South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare in August 2006 was the first national alcohol action plan in Korea. It was focused on changing the traditional drinking culture and social acceptance of alcohol instead of implementing alcohol control policy.

The Blue Bird Plan was launched in 2010². It main purpose being to: “refresh the social atmosphere with keen awareness of the seriousness of alcohol harm; minimize alcohol harm by improving health promotion and lifestyle; reduce prevalence of alcohol use and alcohol related accidents; decrease risky drinking behavior of high-risk groups; and enhance alcohol-related medical and rehabilitation services and create public/private social safety environment against alcohol harm”.

Despite systematic efforts and trials having been encouraged by the Government, during the last few years alcohol-related problem indices have gone in a negative direction. High risk drinking among adults has increased from 14.9% in 2005 to 19.7% in 2008; among 19 – 28 age group from 14.0% to 23.0%³ ; the alcohol-related death rate has increased from 8.5 per 100,000 Korean Public Health Advocates seek new Alcohol Action Plan persons in 2002 to 9.4 in 2008⁴. It is difficult to reduce alcoholrelated harm and change drinking culture by only increasing public awareness of the seriousness of alcohol harm and improving lifestyle by health promotion. It is necessary to establish a comprehensive alcohol control policy in Korea and public health advocates have urged the inclusion of key alcohol policies and action strategies for the Health Plan 2020.

Firstly, strengthening the alcohol licensing system related to alcohol sales and specifically directed at problem areas. Second, Liquor Tax Levy in Korea consists of a high tax rate for high priced alcohol and a low tax rate for low priced alcohol. This liquor tax was implemented without proper consideration of the percentage of alcoholic content in different beverages, and this is a loophole that leaks tax revenue and further contributes to consumption of the high percentage alcohol⁵. Secondly, the liquor tax rate system can’t control alcohol consumption, so it is necessary to change to a system that is closer to that of other developed countries.

Having noted the Thai system of earmarking a percentage of duty for health promotion activities, it has become very apparent that it is appropriate to levy a Health Earmarked Tax, since alcohol has produced problems for Korean national health and its people.

Thirdly, at present, restricting alcohol advertising through general broadcasting begins at over 17% alcohol volume and should be reduced to 5%. TV hours for alcohol beverage advertising are restricted to after 10pm but large numbers of teenagers are also still watching. To protect teenagers, extending the advertising hours restriction for TV, radio, and cable TV to after 11pm should be enacted. An Advertising Restriction Law to prevent media advertisement inside and outside commercial areas of cities, subway stations, and electronic bulletin boards would be useful as would penalizing corporations when they break the laws.

Fourthly, the establishment of a “National Professionals Committee for Alcohol Policy” to offer proposals for improvement in research on alcohol harm, education methods, and providing information to the general populace and legislative bodies.

Minors should not be provided with easy access to alcohol because the Korean drinking culture is pervasive, persuasive, and does not provide adequate regulations and control to protect and educate the people. The Korean Government should try its best not to support and extend the damages caused by alcohol use among the families, communities and minors of the nation.

Sungsoo Chun, MPH, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Health Science and Welfare, Sahmyook University Director, Korean Institute of Alcohol Problem (KIAP) President, Korean Society of Alcohol Science (KSAS)

References

1. Korea Ministry of Health & Welfare (2006) National Alcohol Policy: Blue Bird Plan 2010. Korea Ministry of Health & Welfare.

2. Korea Ministry of Health & Welfare (2002) Health Plan 2010. Korea Ministry of Health & Welfare.

3. Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare (2005, 2008) The 3rd and 4th National Health and Nutritional Survey. Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs.

4. Korea National Statistical Office (2008) Annual Report on the Cause of Death Statistics. Korea National Statistical Office.

5. Sung MJ, Jang GH (1999) “Reorganizing Directions of the Liquor Tax Rate System for Social Expense Reduction and Implementing WTO Liquor Tax Decision.” Policy Debate Data for Reorganizing Directions of the Liquor Tax Rate System. The Korean Institute of Public Finance in Seoul, August 1999.