煙草在線據韓國商業專線報道編譯　　過去幾年，進口卷煙品牌在韓國市場一直做得不好。這主要是因為較高的定價高于韓國國產品牌，再加上廣泛實施的禁煙趨勢。

　　據韓國吸煙者協會和便利店業內人士透露，去年售出的卷煙總數量為884億支，即44.2億盒20支裝卷煙。這是自2007年以來的最低水平。

　　其中，進口卷煙的銷量大幅下降。2013年，由世界前三大外資品牌，包括菲莫韓國、英美煙草韓國和日煙國際韓國銷售的卷煙數量為339億支，比2010年的375億支下降了9.6%。相比之下，KT＆G公司的銷量比三年前上漲2.8%，達到545億支。

　　在便利店中，這種趨勢更加明顯。例如，在CU連鎖便利店，2011年國外卷煙品牌的份額為53.1%，而在2013年下跌到50%以下。在7-11店，外煙所占比例從2012年的51.4%，下降到今年4月份的49.1%。

　　隨著外國卷煙消費的下降，其供應商的財務業績也受到影響。銷售萬寶路、百樂門等品牌的菲莫韓國公司公布了2013年的營業利潤為1840億韓元，凈利潤為1408億韓元，這兩項都低于上年業績。

　　擁有著名的登喜路品牌的英美煙草韓國公司報告了去年的經營虧損，凈利潤大幅減少。日煙國際韓國公司，以其最暢銷的梅維斯品牌（原來的“七星”）為代表，在2013年的營業利潤也出現虧損，銷售收入也比上一年要少。

Korea-South: Foreign Cigarette Brands Anguish in Lackluster Sales

　　Imported cigarette brands have been doing badly for the past few years. That's largely because of higher prices set above those of home-made brands, combined with the widespread no-smoking trend.

　　According to the Korea Smokers Association and convenience store industry sources, the total number of cigarettes sold last year was 88.4 billion, or 4.42 billion 20 packs. This is the lowest level since 2007.

　　Of these, the sales of import cigarettes have declined by a large margin. The number of cigarettes sold by top-three foreign brands, including Philip Morris Korea, British American Tobacco Korea, and Japan Tobacco International Korea, was 33.9 billion in 2013, down 9.6 percent from 37.5 billion in 2010. In contrast, the sales by KT&G rose 2.8 percent to 54.5 billion in 2013 from three years ago.

　　The trend is more clearly seen in convenience stores. For example, at CU convenience store chains the share of foreign brands was 53.1 percent in 2011 but it fell to the below 50-percent level last year. For 7Eleven stores, the ratio declined to 49.1 percent in April this year from 51.4 percent in 2012.

　　With the drop in foreign cigarette consumption, the financial results for the suppliers have also suffered. Philip Morris Korea, the company selling Marlboro, Parliament, and the like, posted operating profit of 184.0 billion won and net profit of 140.8 billion won last year, both of which were lower than the previous year.

　　British American Tobacco Korea, famous for its Dunhill brand, reported an operating loss last year, with a much reduced net profit. Japan Tobacco International Korea, represented by the best-selling Mevius brand (formerly Mild Seven), also saw its operating profit turn to the red in 2013, with a lower sales revenue than the previous year. Enditem