South Korea is expected to soon pass a bill that will allow non-medical professionals to perform tattoos, whereas until now the procedure has been restricted to hospitals and only by licensed medical practitioners.
The Supreme Court’s decision on tattoos, made in 1992, had cited potential health risks caused by tattoo needles and inks.
The new law will focus on granting official licenses to tattoo artists, requiring them to attend annual hygiene courses in facilities designated by the government.
Currently, tattoo artists face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $35.000 if caught practicing.
Passing the law would mark a victory for the tens of thousands of tattoo artists in South Korea who, for decades, have held protests, filed constitutional appeals, and taken other actions in their effort to overturn the ban on their work. Their struggle has gained momentum as public opinion on tattoos has shifted.
Only a very small percentage of people with tattoos said they got them in hospitals, showing that many tattoo artists continued their work despite the ban, with the law not being strictly enforced.
In the past, tattoos in South Korea were associated with gangsters and criminals, but they have gradually become accepted as a form of self-expression and are now linked with artists, including those in K-pop.
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