Ministry of Health and Welfare to Hold '2023 Alcohol Harm Prevention Month' Event on the 30th

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute will hold a commemorative event for the '2023 Alcohol Harm Prevention Month' at 2 p.m. on the 30th at the Baekbeom Kim Koo Memorial Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

This year's event will be held under the theme "There is No Safe Drinking," featuring a ceremony and a presentation of best practices in alcohol harm prevention projects.

The event will be attended by Park Min-su, 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, Kim Heon-ju, President of the Korea Health Promotion Institute, experts and related organizations practicing alcohol harm prevention projects, and moderation supporters (universities), totaling about 150 people. Awards will be given to individuals (9 points) and organizations (health centers, 10 points) who contributed to alcohol harm prevention this year, as well as to outstanding moderation supporter teams. In particular, the Seoul Gwangjin-gu Health Center, selected as the best institution, was recognized for its contribution to spreading a culture of alcohol harm prevention through the 'Children and Youth Alcohol Entry Blockage Project,' which includes guidance on prohibiting alcohol sales to youth (targeting alcohol retailers) and alcohol prevention education for children and adolescents (kindergartens, daycare centers, elementary, middle, and high schools).

The public service advertisement themes for alcohol harm prevention in 2023, unveiled at this event, include alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, drunk driving, and crimes related to alcohol-induced violence. Created with the core message "Stop Drinking!" the ads aim to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol and promote vigilance regarding drinking.

At the event, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute will also release the "Media Drinking Scene Guidelines 2023 (Revised Edition)" to promote a culture of moderation.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute plan to collaborate with broadcasters, influencer and creator agencies associations, drama and other content production-related associations to minimize drinking scenes from the content production stage by utilizing these guidelines.

Park Min-su, 2nd Vice Minister, stated, "The government will continue efforts to raise awareness of the health threats and social harms caused by drinking and to spread a culture of moderation," adding, "We hope the revision of the 'Drinking Media Guidelines' will be a good opportunity to improve the media culture that is lenient toward drinking."

Kim Heon-ju, President of the Korea Health Promotion Institute, said, "To reduce drinking rates and alcohol-related harm, it is important to build a consensus on moderation through public awareness improvement," and added, "We will strengthen alcohol harm prevention publicity tailored to the public's perspective in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Welfare."