Governor Kim, “Stop smoking and seek for happiness”

Gyeonggi Province held the event ‘Find Man with Healthy Lung of Gyeonggi Province’ in commemoration of No Tobacco Day.

“Nonsmoking leads to happiness and health while smoking leads to death. Firmly cut off the temptation of the devil, and make it to quit smoking with a strong will.”

Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo stressed the harmful effects of smoking and the need of quitting smoking at the event ‘Find Man with Healthy Lung of Gyeonggi Province’.

On May 30, a day before the 26th World No Tobacco Day (May 31), which was determined by World Health Organization (WHO), Gyeonggi Province held the event ‘Find Man with Healthy Lung of Gyeonggi Province’ at the provincial building with the cooperation with Paldal-gu Public Health Center of Suwon City and Gyeonggi Branch of Korea Association of Health Promotion.

On May 30, a day before the 26th No Tobacco Day, Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo takes a commemorative photograph with the officials at the event ‘Find Man with Healthy Lung of Gyeonggi Province’ held in Gyeonggi Provincial Office.

The province conducted carbon monoxide test, lung capacity test, and capillary test to the provincial employees from 7:30 a.m. It awarded gift certificates to the top 3 in lung capacity test, and counseled those who had problems with lung capacity or carbon monoxide level among smokers to quit smoking.

As ‘Man with Healthy Lung of Gyeonggi Province’, Kim Gi-se, the director of Local Autonomy Administration Team, was selected in man sector, and Nam Hyun-joo, the assistant director of Economic Policy Bureau, was selected in woman sector.

In the test of this day, the lung age of Local Autonomy Administration Team Director Kim Gi-se, who was born in 1962, measured 22. He expressed his thought on this, saying “I had smoked for 20 years from 20, and it has been about 13 years since I quitted smoking. I think it helped a lot to do exercise steadily 3 times a week in addition to non-smoking.”

Governor Kim also challenged ‘Man with Healthy Lung of Gyeonggi Province’ this day. Although he was found to have lung younger than his age in lung capacity test and capillary test, he said, “I am disappointed with the results because I quit smoking a long time ago.” He also said, “I will work out harder for my health.”

He stressed the need for nonsmoking, saying “I failed to quit smoking several times when I decided to do so. But, when I stopped smoking, my throat and bronchial tubes got healthy, and I was able to save money. Also, that made me stable psychologically and relaxed. Beside, scolding from others disappeared.”

He added, “Many Gyeonggi residents can’t easily quit smoking although they know well about the adverse effects of smoking. I will kick-start nonsmoking movement by offering objective diagnosis and scientific basis just as today’s event.” He said, “There is a temptation of the devil that intends to justify smoking, saying ‘We can live a long life even if we smoke’ or ‘Smoking helps to reduce stress’. I hope the whole nation will succeed in stop smoking with a strong will.”

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province plans to carry out province-wide campaigns and promotions continuously by taking this event as the start so that non-smoking can be settled in early stage in the future.

As the revised version of National Health Promotion Act will take effect in July 1, Gyeonggi Province plans to crack down in full-scale on if non-smoking zone has been established, if no smoking signs have been attached, if the smoking zone established complies with the facilities standards, and detection of smoking within non-smoking zones, and impose the penalty to the uncovered conditions below standard.