Photo : KBS News
The Supreme Court has ruled that tattoo artistry by non-medical professionals cannot be penalized under the Medical Service Act.
On Thursday, the top court’s full bench overturned the lower court’s decision to fine two tattoo artists for violating the act and remanded the case for retrial.
The court said tattooing was widely practiced long before the advent of medical professionals with specialized medical know-how.
It said lettering tattoos and aesthetic tattoos are mostly practiced without any direct relationship to the prevention or treatment of diseases.
Thursday’s verdict reverses a decision the top court issued 34 years ago, when it ruled that eyebrow tattooing was a medical practice, thus subjecting non-medical professionals who provided that service to punishment.
The court decision comes as a law to legalize tattoo artistry by non-medical professionals is set to go into effect in October of next year.