Why Tattoos Are Not Allowed In South Korea?

Tattoos in South Korea are not illegal, but the practice is considered a medical procedure and can only be done by medical professionals. Since a 1992 Supreme Court decision defining tattooing as a medical service, tattooing by non-medical practitioners has been illegal in South Korea. However, tattoos have grown underground in empty office spaces across the country, with at least 50, 000 tattoo artists operating underground.

Tattoos are not explicitly illegal in South Korea, but they are heavily stigmatized due to their association with gangs and organized crime. The tattoo ban was put in place in 1992 due to fears that decorative body art was associated with criminal and gang activity. The Constitutional Court in Seoul upheld the ban on tattooing, confirming South Korea as the only developed country that permits only medical tattoos.

The Confucian culture in Korea tends to breed a negative perception toward tattoos, as it teaches that it is right to keep bodies as it is considered a medical procedure. Tattoo studios and parlors in South Korea operate in a legal environment, with tattoo artists and parlors operating in a controlled environment.

Opponents of decorative tattoos have invoked concerns about longstanding associations with organized crime and inadequate facilities. Tattoo artists and parlors in South Korea operate in a controlled environment, but the public display of body art remains controversial due to the association with yakuza, Japanese gangsters.