Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday proposed the idea of imposing a "sugar levy" to help curb sugar intake and bolster public health care funding, citing a similar levy on tobacco. Lee made the remark on X, formerly Twitter, as he posted a news article citing a survey that showed around eight in 10 South Koreans supported a sugar tax that would impose a levy on companies that use excessive amounts of sugar in their products.

According to Yonhap News Agency, more than 120 countries are implementing sugar taxes or similar measures based on World Health Organization recommendations. Under the National Health Promotion Act, the National Health Promotion Fund is primarily funded by tax on tobacco consumption, and is used for various anti-smoking and health care programs.

President Lee suggested that, similar to the tobacco tax approach, a sugar levy could serve as both a deterrent to excessive sugar consumption and a financial resource for enhancing health care services. Lee's proposal aims to redirect the potential revenue from the levy into strengthening regional and public health care systems, reflecting a proactive approach to public health policy.