The South Korean government is considering measures to legalize the tattoo industry, offering a potential path to legitimacy for thousands of underground tattoo artists.
Currently under Korean law, tattooing is defined as a medical procedure, meaning only licensed doctors can ink skin. There is no law regulating the tattoo industry, and only licensed health care professionals such as medical doctors, nurses, and Oriental medicine practitioners can legally pierce a person's skin with a needle. Because a tattoo is performed on the human body, those without proper training and background knowledge about the human body could inflict serious harm. This means that most tattoo artists are breaking the law and can be charged with performing a medical procedure without a license. According to the government an estimated 20,000 tattooists work illegally – often in parlors with unmarked storefronts — risking steep fines and police busts.
Tattoo artists welcome the proposed licensing system, saying they understand the concerns and are ready to undergo proper training. There is no government regulation for tattooist. Even they want to pay tax, they can't. They are just doing their business illegally. But it's time to admit and respect them because they are kinds of artists.In Japan, there are similar laws exist in Japan, where drawing a tattoo on someone's skin is classified as a medical procedure. However the Japanese government grants them permission to open tattoo shops and the profession is legal in Japan.
Tattooing is a cultural phenomenon. A change in the system would reflect a growing acceptance of tattoos in Korea, where body ink has long been associated with unsavory elements of society. For generations, tattoos were represented as a symbol of Korean gangsters or prostitute. Moreover, tattoos challenge traditional Confucian notions about preserving the body. Attitudes have gradually changed, however, as more Koreans travel overseas and as tattoos become the norm in sports and entertainment. Now it is not uncommon to see young, tattooed Koreans, especially in hip areas such as Seoul’s Hongdae area. It’s trendy for women in their early twenties to get a tattoo of their name or to mimic a design worn by a celebrity. Those a bit older are more likely to work with an artist to come up with a meaningful design. If government cannot stop this phenomenon, why don't they legalize tattoo industry and make it easy and safe?
Original source :::
korearealtime
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