A so-called fat tax on fattening foods has drawn mixed reactions from the South Korean public after the government voiced opposition to its introduction.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance made clear its negative stance on imposing a surcharge on foods that are high in saturated fat, a move considered positively in many Western countries where obesity is a serious health issue.

"It is not desirable to introduce a new tax on foods given our own situations," the ministry said in a report analyzing policies of major countries in connection with obesity problems.

South Korea has a relatively low level of obesity among its citizens, and an additional tax on foods could weaken the food purchasing power of low-income earners and drive up inflation, the ministry explained. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak pledged to curb inflation within the low 3 percent range this year, after inflation stayed above the government's 4 percent target for most of 2011, driven by rising commodity and oil prices.

Introducing the fat food tax would place a heavier financial burden on low-income families, the ministry said. Low-income households are more likely than wealthy households to consume fatty fast foods like hamburgers and instant noodles and have less access to fruits and vegetables, according to its report.

In Europe, the idea of taxing foods with high levels of fat has been garnering more and more support as a way to curb obesity and its associated health care costs. Denmark was the first country in the world to impose the fat tax on foods such as butter and oil to help limit the population's intake of fatty foods.

The ministry, however, said that it is not an optimal strategy for South Korea to jump on this growing trend in Europe to tackle obesity. "Rather than discussing obesity in the same manner as debt-ridden European countries and the U.S., which see it as a major tool to expand tax revenue, we need to develop and provide measures tailored for gender and each age group to tackle the problem," the ministry said in the report.

Varied reactions from the public have been generated after the ministry expressed its opposition to the introduction of the fat tax.

"I think the fat tax is absurd. It's a personal choice. People choose to be slim or fat," said 26-year-old Kim Woo-jung, who agreed with the government's negative view towards the fat tax. " It's the government's infringement on personal choice, and to me it seems like the only reason for imposing the fat tax is to raise taxes," said Kim.

However, Park Hye-min, a 36-year-old mother with a 7-year-old son, had a different thought. "My son likes fast foods like hamburgers and pizzas so much, and it is one of my big concerns to find a way to correct his eating habit," said Park. "The fat tax would lead to less consumption of fast foods, and I think that would change eating habits in a healthier way," said Park.