Seoul, South Korea
Smoking policy at Seoul, Gimpo International Airport (GMP)
Warnings & Caveats
Smoking outside designated areas in South Korean airports can result in fines under national anti-smoking legislation. Domestic Terminal airside smoking rooms were permanently closed in 2018; do not expect to find any post-security smoking inside that terminal. If transiting domestically and needing to smoke, exiting and re-entering security adds significant time to your connection.
Gimpo International Airport has a split smoking situation depending on which terminal you're in and whether you're landside or airside. The most reliable airside smoking option is the enclosed smoking room in the International Terminal, located near Gate 38 next to the Shilla Duty Free store. The Domestic Terminal is more restrictive airside, with all post-security indoor smoking rooms having been closed since around 2018.
Before Security
Both the Domestic and International Terminals have designated outdoor smoking areas outside the terminal buildings. These are your safest bet if you want a smoke before checking in or after landing.
Domestic Terminal, 1st floor: Three smoking rooms on the ground level (arrivals hall area), two clustered on the west side and one on the east side. These appear to be a mix of indoor and outdoor-style designated zones.
Domestic Terminal, 2nd floor: Two smoking rooms on the departures level, one on the west side and one on the east side.
International Terminal, 1st floor: Two smoking rooms near Gate 1 and Gate 2 on the ground floor.
International Terminal, 2nd floor: One smoking room near Gate 1.
International Terminal, 3rd floor: Two smoking rooms, one on the west side and one on the east side. These are not close to the boarding gates, so keep an eye on your departure time.
All landside smoking areas are designated zones; smoking anywhere else in the terminal is not permitted under South Korean law.
After Security
Domestic Terminal (airside): No smoking areas exist after security. They were closed in 2018 as part of a Korea Airports Corporation initiative to improve air quality in terminals. If you're on a domestic connection and need to smoke, you would have to exit the secure zone, smoke outside, and go back through security, which is worth factoring into your connection time.
International Terminal (airside): There is an enclosed smoking room after security, confirmed by multiple traveler reports from 2019 through May 2023. It sits between the Shilla Duty Free store and Gate 38, toward the far end of the departures hall. A second report from April 2023 places a smoking lounge at the very end of the building on the left side, past Gate 34. Both references likely describe the same general area near Gates 34-38. The room is glass-walled and signed in Korean and English as a "Smoking Room" (흡연실).
The Sky Hub Lounge (International Terminal, airside, near Gate 35) was listed as temporarily closed as of early 2026, so do not count on it as a smoking option.
Vaping Rules
No specific vaping rules for GMP were found in the sources. South Korean law generally treats e-cigarettes similarly to tobacco in public spaces, so stick to designated smoking areas if you vape.
Transit and Layovers
If you're transiting through the Domestic Terminal and need to smoke airside, there are no options. You'll need to exit, smoke outside, and re-clear security. Build in at least 30-45 extra minutes if you plan to do this.
Bottom Line
International Terminal travelers have a usable airside smoking room near Gates 34-38; Domestic Terminal passengers have no airside option and must exit the secure zone to smoke outside.
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