Article 17(Revocation of designation as retailers) #
(1) If any tobacco retailer falls under any of the following cases, the head of a Si/Gun/Gu shall revoke the designation of his or her retail business: <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>
1. Where he or she has been designated as a tobacco retailer by wrongful means;
2. Where he or she falls under any cause for disqualification prescribed in Article 16 (2); provided, the same shall not apply where a representative of a corporation falling under such cause is replaced with a newly appointed person within six months;
3. Where he or she has been subjected to a disposition taken to suspend his or her business twice during the last five years falls again under any subparagraph of paragraph (2);
4. Where he or she continues his or her business during a business suspension period;
5. Where he or she has failed to engage in business for at least 60 days without making any report on discontinuance or suspension of business;
6. Where he or she has failed to purchase tobacco from a manufacturer, an import and sale business entity, or a wholesaler for at least 90 days without any justifiable ground;
7. Where he or she becomes unable to meet the designation criteria prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Finance and Economy under Article 16 (2) 3 after having been designated as a retailer; provided, cases where the reasons for a failure to meet the designation criteria are not imputable to the relevant retailer shall be excluded herefrom.
(2) Where any tobacco retailer falls under any of the following, the head of a Si/Gun/Gu may suspend his or her business for a fixed period of up to one year; provided, in cases falling under subparagraph 7, where the retailer was unaware that the consumer was a youth because he or she counterfeited, altered or illegally used an identification card or where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the retailer was unable to confirm that the consumer was a youth under coercion or threat, the retailer may be exempt from a disposition to suspend business, as prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Finance and Economy: <Amended on Mar. 31, 2020; Oct. 1, 2025>
1. Where he or she has sold tobacco in violation of Article 12 (3);
2. Where he or she has sold tobacco in violation of Article 18 (5);
3. Where he or she has sold tobacco with its packing or contents changed, in violation of Article 20;
4. Where he or she has failed to implement any corrective order or measure such as the removal of advertisements under Article 25 (3);
5. Where he or she has failed to sell tobacco continuously without any justifiable ground during a period prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Finance and Economy;
6. Where he or she has failed to purchase tobacco from a manufacturer, an import and sale business entity, or a wholesaler for at least 60 days without any justifiable ground;
7. Where he or she has sold tobacco to youths;
8. Other cases where he or she has violated this Act or any order issue under this Act.
(3) Matters necessary for the standards and procedures for the disposition of business suspension under paragraph (2) shall be prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Finance and Economy. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>
[This Article Wholly Amended on Jan. 21, 2014]