North Korea promotes 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 help 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 dated June 2, 2014. Photo: KCNA

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

"The number of non-smokers is increasing significantly. The number of male smokers in 2013 was 8% 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)