South Korea passes landmark bill to legalise tattoo artists

South Korea's parliament has passed a bill to legalise tattoo artists, ending a decades-long ban on tattooing by those without medical licences. The Tattooist Act passed convincingly on Thursday afternoon with 195 votes in favour out of 202 members present, enabling non-medical professionals to obtain a licence. The new law will take effect after a two-year grace period. South Korea is the only developed country where tattooing is considered a procedure that only medical professionals are capable of legally performing. While tattoos are not illegal, tattoo artists face fines of up to 50 million won ($35,464) as well as prison terms for practising their craft. Despite the ban, Korean tattoos have become increasingly popular at home and abroad, making it...