from that year highlighted that 81% of Koreans in their 20s and 60% in their 30s and 40s favored lifting the country\u2019s regulations restricting tattoos.<\/span><\/p>\nThe recent indictment of Gwangju\u2019s tattoo artists, however, shows that South Korean authorities\u2019 bias against tattoos persists, Yoo Jin-woo, a professor at the Hwasung Medi-Science University, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cCelebrities showcasing tattoos are often perceived as cool. In contrast, average individuals with tattoos might be mistakenly labeled potential criminals. Where do [the prosecutors] draw the line? In South Korea, the fear of tattoos is really deep-rooted,\u201d Yoo said.<\/span><\/p>\nSon of Kookmin University noted that a legal framework to open the profession to non-doctors is key to overcoming the stigma of tattoos. \u201cI think implementing a qualification for tattoo artists is the most urgent step.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIn his view, qualifications should encompass aspects like infection prevention, understanding human anatomy, and, given the nature of tattooing as an art, honing \u201ctattoo techniques and designs.\u201d He argues that such courses could fit seamlessly into art colleges and vocational schools without restricting them to medical institutions.<\/span><\/p>\nBut hurdles remain. Son pointed out that \u201cgroups representing doctors, which lean towards conservative political views in South Korea, have resisted efforts to ease licensing requirements for tattoo artists lacking a medical background.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAddressing other challenges, Yoo noted the rigid regulations surrounding the use of anesthetics. \u201cOur initial focus should be revising the guidelines related to the administration of anesthetics,\u201d Yoo told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\nAccording to Gwangju prosecutors, these images depict the indicted tattoo artist\u2019<\/span>s advertisements for \u201c<\/span>gangster tattoos\u201d<\/span> on social media | Image: Gwangju District Prosecutors\u2019<\/span> Office<\/em><\/p><\/div>\nARTISTRY OR CRIMINAL AFFILIATION?<\/b> \n<\/span> \n<\/span>According to Gwangju prosecutors, however, the tattoos, not necessarily the dearth of tattooing regulations, are at the core of the problem. \u201cTattoos are a prerequisite for joining gangs,\u201d prosecutors declared in their press release.<\/span><\/p>\nProsecutors shifted their attention to the tattoo artists instead of focusing on gang members. The reasoning, as shared by the prosecutors, hinges mainly on logistical challenges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201c[Because] our ability to directly investigate organized crime is limited, we targeted gangster tattoo operators, aiming to stifle the recruitment of new gang members and deter further gang activities,\u201d the statement read.<\/span><\/p>\nThe prosecutors also highlighted that \u201c32 minors received \u2018gangster tattoos\u2019 to join a gang, with four actually becoming gang members and engaging in criminal acts like extortion to finance their tattoos.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe tattooists implicated in the indictment, according to the prosecutors, allegedly serviced notorious figures from organized criminal groups like International PJ and Chungjun OB. Notably, both groups previously faced charges of <\/span>sex trafficking and violence<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\nMeanwhile, within Gwangju\u2019s tattoo community, the impact of the arrests lingers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOne tattoo artist told <\/span>Korea Pro <\/span><\/i>some artists may have drawn the attention of law enforcement authorities upon themselves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m unfamiliar with the specifics of the case, but I\u2019m aware that some of the artists were involved in criminal activities,\u201d Harang, a tattoo artist, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>. \u201cHad they purely focused on their craft, it wouldn\u2019t have escalated like this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nYet other tattoo artists, like Cho, are baffled and frustrated by the widespread crackdown. \u201cI\u2019m filled with resentment and anger when I come across misrepresentations in the news media,\u201d Cho told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIf a restaurant owner and a gangster get along well, does that make the restaurant owner complicit in criminal activities? If some gang members frequent a restaurant to do business, should we assume they are in collusion?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWho\u2019s really at fault \u2014 the tattoo artist or the gangster? I really hope South Korea will swiftly move toward legalizing tattooing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nLina Park contributed to this report. Edited by John Lee.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Culture & Society<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cIf a customer walks in for the first time, how am I supposed to know if they\u2019re a gangster or not?\u201d posed Seojun Cho, a local tattooist, in his remarks to Korea Pro. In Gwangju, South Korea\u2019s sixth-largest city in the southeast of the peninsula, tattoo artists grapple with a quandary. The city\u2019s tattoo community […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8392,"featured_media":2202004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[25],"class_list":["post-2202002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analysis","tag-culture-society"],"yoast_head":"\n
In a South Korean city, indictment of tattooists sparks debate about taboo art - KOREA PRO<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n