South Korean court upholds ban on tattooing by non-medical professionals

ANKARA (AA) – South Korea's Constitutional Court on Thursday upheld a ban on tattooing by non-medical professionals and said punishing violators is not against the law, local media said.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the majority of the bench, four out of five members, dismissed a petition filed by a group of tattooists against the Medical Service Act that outlaws tattooing by people with no medical license. Violators face up to two years in prison or a fine of $8,300.

The court said tattooing involves health risks from the use of needles and dyestuff, and the decision on whether to introduce a new license program for medically unlicensed tattooists was up to the legislature.​​​​​​​

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid