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FILE PHOTO: A tattooed man and a woman wear heavy boots as they walk in the trendy shopping district of Hongdae in Seoul, May 3, 2015. [File photo: Reuters/Thomas Peter]
The Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea, upheld a ban on tattooing on Thursday (March 31) – leading tattoo artists to deride the decision, calling it backward and lacking cultural understanding.
South Korea is the sole developed country that only allows medical professionals to legally perform the procedure.
But despite the decades-old ban, the country has nearly 50,000 tattoo artists who risk potential police raids and prosecution for practicing their trade.
Violating the ban is punishable by fines of up to 50 million won, that’s over 40 thousand dollars, and prison terms – usually of two years, though the law provides for as much as life.
Tattooist associations have initiated a series of court actions since 2017, challenging the law.
They say it breaches their freedom of expression and right to engage in an occupation.
In a 5-4 vote, the Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that the law was constitutional.
It dismissed the suits, saying tattooing brings potential side effects and safety issues.
A union of 650 tattoo artists issued a statement condemning the decision, calling it “retrograde” and “not worth a penny”.
Lim Bo-Ran is the Chief Director of Korea Tattoo Federation:
“We will continue to resist this unjust and wrong law. I’m standing here determined to fight to the death over it. Tattoos will now be a symbol of freedom and resistance in the history of Korean law and institutions.”
While tattoos are usually covered up on television, many Korean celebrities, including members of K-pop bands, have flaunted them on social media.
Polls show most South Koreans support legalization of tattooing, but medical associations oppose it, saying its use of needles is an invasive procedure that could damage the body.
President-elect Yoon Suk-Yeol expressed support before this month’s election for legalizing so-called cosmetic tattoos, which are semi-permanent and popular for enhancing eyebrows, eyelines and hairlines.
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