[News Today] ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DWINDLES

[LEAD]
Quite shocking to hear, but social drinking is on the decline. Young people in particular are increasingly distancing themselves from heavy drinking cultures. With rising living costs, budgets are tighter, and various indicators also show a decrease in alcohol consumption.

[REPORT]
College students get together at the start of a new semester. After sharing lecture schedules, a notice is delivered.

Yeo Seung-jae/ Student, Sogang University
Fewer than 10 students from the departments of psychiatry and political science wanted to attend, so only the department of sociology is attending.

Just a glass of beer is enough to enjoy time together.

Oh Kyu-hyun / College student
Drinking is being largely shunned these days because of COVID-19 and news about fatal accidents related to drinking among college students.

The prevailing opinion is that drinking is an individual choice.

Kim Min-je / College student
Many students fill their glasses with just water or soda and clink them.

With more than six out of ten people thinking that afterwork office gatherings involving alcoholic beverages have become a declining trend, the decrease in alcohol consumption is now evident in various indices.

Last year, shipments of alcoholic drinks shrank by 5.8% from the pre-COVID-19 period. The decrease is particularly noteworthy in the shipments of soju and beer.

Alcohol tax revenues in the first seven months of this year also fell by 6.6% on-year, or 200 billion won, which is approximately 150 million dollars.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance predicts the decline to accelerate further next year, which could result in the alcohol tax plunging more than 10% from this year.

Prof. Kim Woo-cheol / University of Seoul
The gradual decrease in drinking is having a profound effect. Even if demand for alcohol rebounds, tax revenues will stay unchanged or even decrease further.

There are also fewer disposition notices of crimes related to alcohol.