title: KT&G: From Korean monopoly to 'a global name in the tobacco industry'.
abstract: Until the late 1980s, the former South Korean tobacco monopoly KT&G was focused on the protected domestic market. The opening of the market to foreign competition, under pressure from the U.S. Trade Representative, led to a steady erosion of market share over the next 10 years. Drawing on company documents and industry sources, this paper examines the adaptation of KT&G to the globalization of the South Korean tobacco industry since the 1990s. It is argued that KT&G has shifted from a domestic monopoly to an outward-looking, globally oriented business in response to the influx of transnational tobacco companies. Like other high-income countries, South Korea has also seen a decline in smoking prevalence as stronger tobacco control measures have been adopted. Faced with a shrinking domestic market, KT&G initially focused on exporting Korean-manufactured cigarettes. Since the mid-2000s, a broader global business strategy has been adopted including the building of overseas manufacturing facilities, establishing strategic partnerships and acquiring foreign companies. Trends in KT&G sales suggest an aspiring transnational tobacco company poised to become a major player in the global tobacco market. This article is part of the special issue 'The emergence of Asian tobacco companies: Implications for global health governance'.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University , Burnaby , BC , Canada.
authors.forename: Kelley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University , Burnaby , BC , Canada.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: b Department of Politics , University of York , York , UK.
authors.forename: Jappe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eckhardt
authors.affiliation: c Department of Social Policy & Social Work , University of York , York , UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.affiliation: d National Evidence-based Healthcare collaborating Agency (NECA) , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sungkyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D015995:Prevalence; D011332:Privatization / Q000191:economics; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends
keywords: South Korea; global business strategy; globalization; tobacco control; tobacco industry