President Lee: "How About a Sugar Levy Like Tobacco, with Funds Reinvested in Regional Healthcare?"

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House on the 27th. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung proposed on January 28 imposing a surcharge on sugar and investing the collected funds into regional and public healthcare.

On this day, President Lee wrote on his social media, "What are your thoughts on curbing sugar consumption through a sugar surcharge, similar to tobacco, and reinvesting those funds to strengthen regional and public healthcare?"

Along with his post, President Lee also attached a news article stating that 80% of the public supports the introduction of a sugar tax.

According to a survey conducted by the Seoul National University Health Culture Project Group from January 12 to 19 targeting 1,030 citizens, 80.1% of respondents supported the introduction of a 'sugar tax' that would impose a surcharge on companies that excessively use added sugars.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the introduction of a sugar tax to its member states in 2016 to protect public health.