Seoul, Sep 25 (AP) South Korea's National Assembly has approved a significant new bill set to allow tattooing without a medical license, ending the country’s unique restriction among industrialized nations.
Currently, only individuals with medical licenses are permitted to tattoo in South Korea, pushing an underground industry where tens of thousands of tattooists have operated for years.
The Tattooist Act passed the assembly in a unanimous 195-0 vote. This landmark legislation aims to establish a formal licensing system for tattoo artists and bring them under governmental regulation. Once President Lee Jae Myung formally proclaims the act—considered a procedural step given the Health Ministry's backing—a two-year period will commence before the law takes full effect.
This legislative shift mirrors evolving public attitudes toward tattoos in South Korea, where the art form was once synonymous with organized crime but is now viewed as a medium of personal expression, bolstered by K-pop stars and public figures flaunting their ink.
The origins of the current restrictions stem from a 1992 Supreme Court ruling classifying cosmetic tattoos as medical procedures due to potential health risks involving tattoo needles and ink. While enforcement of these rules has been lenient, allowing a shadowy tattoo industry to flourish, this new law aims to bring the practice into the light. (AP) RD RD
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