South Korea starts nationwide survey of tattoo shops ahead of tattoo law
In short
South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare said on 22 October that it is surveying tattoo businesses and practitioners nationwide ahead of the tattoo artist law. Seoul Economic Daily reported the online survey runs until 22 November. The results will inform the national exam, licensing, and hygiene and waste rules.
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South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare said on 22 October that it is carrying out a nationwide survey of tattoo businesses and tattoo practitioners. The survey comes ahead of the tattoo artist law taking effect. The ministry wants to establish how many tattoo shops and practitioners there are and how they operate, according to Yonhap and Newsis. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Seoul Economic Daily reported that the law, promulgated last October, takes effect on 29 October 2027, and that the survey runs for a month until 22 November. Yonhap said the survey runs for a month from the 22nd. Newsis referred to the law taking effect on the 29th without giving a month or year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The survey is online. Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis say it takes about three minutes. Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap say Hanguk Neungnyul Hyeophoe (한국능률협회) conducts it, and Yonhap says the ministry commissioned it. It is aimed at tattoo shop owners and practitioners not attached to a particular shop. Where a shop exists, only the owner needs to respond, once. Newsis added that anyone who runs a tattoo shop or performs tattooing can take part through the online link. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The questions cover when the business opened, its registered business type and the type of tattooing, the number of workers, monthly procedure numbers and the amount of materials used and waste produced. Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis also listed the time a procedure takes. Newsis added whether the business has other activities, its form of operation and membership in associations or groups. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Seoul Economic Daily reported that the government will use the results as basic data to build the licensing and education system for tattoo artists and to set hygiene and safety standards, including for waste produced during procedures. Yonhap said the findings will help estimate the number of people sitting the national exam and needing hygiene education, calculate related costs and plan waste disposal. Newsis said the data will be a core basis for the national exam and licensing system and for hygiene and safety policy. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The survey can be reached through a link on the ministry's website or an online survey link. Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis said the government will also encourage participation through local governments and related associations and groups. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kim Han-suk (김한숙), director-general for health policy at the ministry, called the survey a first step toward understanding the scale of tattoo shops and practitioners in Korea and building the institutional basis the law requires. Kim asked for active participation. In Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis, Kim linked participation to a system design that reflects conditions and opinions in the field. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The ministry said the data will be used to estimate how many people will sit the national exam and need hygiene training, to work out the costs, and to plan waste handling. The documents describe the survey as groundwork for the law taking effect.
Key facts
- The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on 22 October it is running a nationwide survey of tattoo businesses and practitioners. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The survey is online, and Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis say it takes about three minutes. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap say the survey is carried out by Hanguk Neungnyul Hyeophoe (한국능률협회); Yonhap says the ministry commissioned it. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reported that the survey runs for a month until 22 November and that the tattoo artist law takes effect on 29 October 2027. [ 1 ]
- Respondents are tattoo shop owners or practitioners not attached to a shop; where a shop exists, only the owner answers, once. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Questions cover when the business opened, registered business type, type of tattooing, number of workers, monthly procedure numbers, materials used and waste produced. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kim Han-suk (김한숙), the ministry's director-general for health policy, called the survey a first step toward the institutional basis the law needs. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced a nationwide online survey of tattoo shops and practitioners ahead of the tattoo artist law taking effect. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The results are to serve as policy evidence, including for the national exam and licensing, hygiene education, cost estimates and waste handling. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Local governments and related associations are to help publicise the survey, according to Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Who may take part in the survey. Seoul Economic Daily, Yonhap and Newsis describe shop owners and practitioners not attached to a shop as the targets, while Newsis also says anyone running a tattoo shop or doing tattooing can take part.
- The exact start date of the law. Only Seoul Economic Daily gives the full date, 29 October 2027; Newsis says only the 29th and Yonhap says next year.