CALLS TO LEGALIZE TATTOOS

[Anchor Lead]

People with tattoos are no longer a rarity in Korea. Although tattoos have become a popular art form worldwide, it's still illegal in the nation. More and more people call for legalizing tattoos to keep up with the global trend.

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Pets, family pictures and even letters written in crayon are recreated on the skin. These are the works of world-class 15-year veteran tattooist Kim Do-yoon. Even famous celebrities like Brad Pitt and Steven Yeun are among his clients. What he cares most about is hygiene. Together with a local hospital, he even made a set of disinfection guidelines.

[Soundbite] (Tattoo Client) : "I was determined to get a tattoo when I came to Korea, so I sought out a tattooist. He made tattooing very easy."

Although the techniques of Korean tattooists are world-renowned, they are treated as lawbreakers in Korea.

[Soundbite] Kim Do-yoon(Tattooist) : "I leave as an artist but from the moment I land at Incheon International Airport, I worry about the authorities finding my tattoo supplies in the luggage."

That’s because of a Supreme Court ruling 29 years ago that regarded tattooing as a medical practice only to be performed by doctors. Kim is currently undergoing trial for violating the Medical Service Act after someone reported him to the authorities.

[Soundbite] Kim Do-yoon(Tattooist) : "If I found innocent, we tattooists can work in a better environment as an artist and consumers can get tattoos in a cleaner and more regulated environment."

Doctors claim that tattooing that involves needles is a medical practice and runs the risk of bad side effects.

[Soundbite] Dr. Hwang Ji-hwan(Korean Medical Association(Dermatologist)) : "Chemicals are injected into the skin permanently. I don’t think this should be regarded as a fashion statement."

Discussions about legalizing tattoos are ongoing in the National Assembly as lawmakers have tabled relevant bills. Similar bills have been presented several times before, but they failed to pass due to opposition from the medical sector.