North Korea advocates quitting smoking, despite Kim Jong Un's habit

(Baonghean.vn) - North Korea's official news agency KCNA said on May 4 that a campaign to reduce the number of smokers has been carried out by the country's government, despite the image of leader Kim Jong Un often seen with a cigarette in his hand.

Chairman Kim Jong Un is smoking in a photo on June 2, 2014. Photo: KCNA

KCNA news agency said the North Korean government has cut tobacco cultivation as much as possible and health warnings have been printed on cigarette packs.

"The number of non-smokers is increasing significantly. The number of male smokers in 2013 was 8 percent lower than in 2009," KCNA added.

However, the news agency did not mention leader Kim Jong Un's habits. In public places, Chairman Kim is often seen with a cigarette in his hand.

Kim Jong Un's father, the late Kim Jong-il, was also a heavy smoker. He suffered a stroke in 2010, although Kim Jong-il claimed to have quit smoking several years earlier.

Previously, President Kim Jong Un's older brother died in December 2011 due to a heart attack while traveling on a train, North Korean news channels said.

Thanh Hien

(According to Reuters)