"No Smoking in Building Pilotis" ... Daegu Jung-gu Health Center Imposes 100,000 Won Fine

‘Smoking Ban on Building Rooftops Too’

Daegu Jung-gu Public Health Center is strengthening enforcement on the 22nd by promoting that pilotis spaces are non-smoking areas and imposing guidance and fines if smoking is detected in these areas.

Recently, fires have been occurring repeatedly in pilotis buildings, which have a structure supported only by columns without walls, resulting in multiple casualties. The pilotis structure has an open space underneath the building allowing good air circulation, and the trash piled up in the pilotis space acts as kindling, causing even a small spark to quickly spread throughout the entire building.

Pilotis space in an apartment in Daegu city.

Another major issue with the pilotis structure is the lack of fire doors at entrances leading to the ground floor, allowing flames and smoke to rapidly move to upper floors through the building stairs.

Accordingly, under Article 9, Paragraph 4 of the National Health Promotion Act, the Ministry of Health and Welfare designates and operates pilotis spaces as non-smoking areas as part of building facilities for buildings with a total floor area of 1,000㎡ or more.

However, the first floors of pilotis buildings are still open on all sides and are often used as smoking areas. People caught during enforcement often resist by saying, "I thought this was an outdoor area, so why is it a non-smoking zone?" making enforcement difficult.

A representative from Daegu Jungbu Public Health Center said, “There are frequent reports and complaints about smoking in pilotis areas, so enforcement is currently underway. If caught smoking in a pilotis area, a fine of 100,000 KRW can be imposed. Smoking is also prohibited on building rooftops unless a smoking room is installed, and such cases are subject to enforcement.”

Hwang Seok-seon, director of Jung-gu Public Health Center, said, “Due to insufficient personnel and low awareness, enforcement officers face considerable difficulties,” adding, “We will do our best to help improve citizens’ awareness through continuous non-smoking promotion and reduce harm caused by smoking and secondhand smoke.”