Cigarette sales posted a decline for the second consecutive year last year, but sales of e-cigarettes logged growth of more than eight percent. 

According to the finance ministry on Friday, South Koreans bought some three-and-a-half billion packs of cigarettes last year, down two-point-two percent from 2023. 

The figure marked a drop for the second straight year, having dipped zero-point-six percent on-year in 2023. 

When taking into account sales of duty-free cigarettes, the nation’s tobacco sales amounted to nearly three-point-seven billion packs, down one-point-seven percent. 

Meanwhile, sales of e-cigarettes climbed eight-point-three percent from 2023 to stand at 660 million packs last year, accounting for 18-point-four percent of total tobacco sales.