The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety says it found in electronic cigarettes contain five substances categorized as Group-1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Agents in that group are considered to be carcinogenic to humans. 

The ministry released on Thursday the results of its analysis on harmful ingredients in e-cigarettes. The study examined three e-cigarette products from Philip Morris, BAT Korea and KT&G. 

The ministry found that electronic cigarettes contain as much nicotine as regular cigarettes with a greater amount of tar.

It also said that electronic cigarettes, like traditional cigarettes, can cause cancer and other diseases, adding that a comprehensive review of related research results shows that there is no evidence e-cigarettes are less harmful than regular ones. 

It concluded that with the addictive nature of nicotine, e-cigarettes are not helpful for kicking the habit of smoking.