烟草在线据《韩国先驱报》报道编译　　韩国烟草巨头KT＆G公司周三（2月8日）表示，由于持续的通胀压力，它计划暂时冻结其卷烟价格。

　　位于首尔的这家公司最近面临着两难的境地，即是否应该仿效它的规模较小的竞争对手，这些公司为了应对原材料价格和劳动力成本的上涨，从去年开始都进行了提价。

　　从周五（2月10日）开始，菲利普莫里斯国际韩国公司的卷烟将平均提价6.8%。其旗舰品牌，如万宝路、国会和云雀的价格每包将上涨200韩元，达到2,700韩元（2.4美元）。

　　韩国第二大烟草商英美烟草韩国公司，和日本烟草国际韩国公司也普遍将登喜路、建牌、柔和七星和其他产品的价格提高了200韩元。

　　KT＆G公司的市场份额接近60%，它表示它已决定尝试提高生产力，而不是“寻求暂时的销售增长”，虽然它面临着比外国竞争对手更大的成本负担，因为它使用更昂贵的国内烟叶。

　　分析家们说，这三家公司为KT＆G创造了一个跟风的机会。但由于对居民消费价格可能的负面影响，以及对烟草公司计在20%——30%的高利润空间的不断批评，这家前国有垄断企业对提价仍然犹豫不决。

KT&G to freeze cigarette prices "for the time being"

The Korea Herald
Feb 8, 2012

　　KT&G Corp., Korea's tobacco giant, said Wednesday it planned to freeze its cigarette prices for the time being, citing persistent inflationary pressures.

　　The Seoul-based company has recently been faced with a dilemma as to whether it should follow the lead of its smaller rivals, which relayed price hikes since last year to cope with surging raw material and labor costs.

　　Philip Morris International Korea is set to increase its cigarette prices by 6.8 percent on average starting Friday. Its flagship brands such as Marlboro, Parliament and Lark will be sold at 2,700 won ($2.4) a pack, up 200 won.

　　British American Tobacco Korea, the No. 2 player in the local market, and Japan Tobacco International Korea also raised the prices of Dunhill, Kent, Mild Seven and other products by 200 won in general.

　　KT&G, whose market share amounts to nearly 60 percent, said it has decided to try boosting productivity rather than "seek temporary sales growth," although it faces a greater cost burden than its foreign competitors because it uses more expensive domestic tobacco leaves.

　　Analysts have said the three companies created a chance for KT&G to follow suit. But the former state monopoly remained hesitant due to the likely negative impact on consumer prices and constant criticism over tobacco firms' high profit margins estimated at between 20 percent and 30 percent.

　　KT&G stocks closed down 1.3 percent Thursday at 76,200 won on downbeat sales growth prospects.