The Korean Supreme Court, in an en banc ruling, held that tattooing performed by non-medical professionals is not an unlicensed medical practice. The Court overturned prior Supreme Court precedents that deemed tattooing an unlicensed medical practice. The Supreme Court of Korea ruled in May 1992 that eyebrow tattooing was an unlicensed medical practice (91do3219). The Supreme Court of Korea ruled in April 2004 (2004do673) that ordinary calligraphy tattooing constitutes a medical act and is punishable as an unlicensed medical act. Facts Issue Whether cosmetic and “calligraphy” tattooing
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IPG Legal Expert Opinions on Korean Law for Foreign Courts and Law Firms
As complex cross-border litigation, arbitration, and international transactions continue to increase in Korea, foreign courts and overseas counsel are frequently required to apply or assess Korean law and the Korean legal system. In such cases, accurate and nuanced interpretation of Korean statutes, judicial precedent, and regulatory practice is essential. IPG Legal regularly works with foreign lawyers and courts to provide expert opinions on matters governed by Korean law. We often appear in court and provide legal opinions worldwide. The Role of Korean Law Expert Opinions in Cross-Border
Continue readingSouth Korean Court Recognizes Causal Link Between COVID-19 Vaccine and Neurological Injury
Korea is leading the way, through its courts, in providing compensation for damages allegedly caused by the COVID-19 Vaccination. A recent ruling by the Seoul Administrative Court has marked a significant development in Korea’s vaccine-related compensation jurisprudence. The Seoul Administrative Court held that a causal relationship existed between the taking of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination and a patient’s subsequent diagnosis of acute transverse myelitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). This Korean court noted that a causal relationship can be inferred based on temporal proximity, medical probability, and the
Continue readingKorean Administrative Court Recognizes Causation Between COVID-19 Vaccination and Death
On July 11, 2025, the Seoul Administrative Court of Korea rendered a significant judgment (Case No. 2023GuHap73595) recognizing a causal link between the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine and the death of a patient in Korea who suffered from an intracranial hemorrhage. The Korean Court annulled the decision of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) denying compensation under the national vaccine injury relief scheme. This along with the Korean Covid-19 Vaccination Workers’ Compensation Injury Case shows the willing of Korea to infer a nexus between
Continue readingTop 100 Korean Lawyers & Legal Consultants in Korea
Sean Hayes, an attorney for the Top Korean Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year was rated by LawAsia, one of the leading peer-reviewed publications in Asia, as a Top 100 Lawyer in Korea. Sean Hayes is one of the only non-Korean attorneys on this Korean Lawyer “A-list” and the only non-Korean that was on the list each year the list was published. Sean Hayes is the first non-Korean attorney to have worked for the Korean court system (Constitutional Court of Korea) and one of the first
Continue readingTop Law Firms in Korea for English-Speaking Clients According to 10 Magazine
We are proud to note that 10 Magazine listed us in an article titled 10 Lawyers in Seoul for English-Speaking Expats in Korea. IPG is listed under the title Large/International Law Firms. Thanks for the mention 10 Magazine. We love your work. IPG Legal and many of our lawyers were listed as top attorneys by numerous legal rating services and magazines. Sean Hayes was, also, rated a top 100 Attorney. To learn more about IPG Legal please check out our website at: IPG Legal. The article by 10
Continue readingThe New Korean In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Act 2020
As proposed in April 2019 by the Korean Chair of the Health and Welfare Committee, the Korean In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Act (hereinafter as “Korean In Vitro Act”) intends to, among other things,: “…ensure the safety and quality of in vitro diagnostic medical devices, to strengthen global competitiveness thereof, and furthermore, to contribute to the improvement of public health and the development of vitro diagnostic medical devices, by specifying matters concerning the manufacture, import, management, and support of such devices” (Korean In vitro Act, Purpose). Major
Continue readingKorean Medical Malpractice Law and the Medical Malpractice Arbitration System: Suing a doctor in Korea
So you want to sue your Korean doctor in a Korean court? IPG has handled numerous medical malpractice matters for plaintiffs and defendants of medical malpractice cases in Korea in Korean courts and we were, prior, to having knowledge of the composition of the new Korean Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency – were very pessimistic about its usefulness for plaintiffs. When we first heard about the enactment of the new Korean Medical Malpractice Law we were skeptical if the system would be useful for plaintiffs, since, often,
Continue readingKorean Medical Malpractice Arbitration Law
Korean Medical Malpractice lawsuits are often compared to “Beating one’s head against the wall,” since Korean medical malpractice lawsuit are, typically, difficult for patients to prevail in. In medical malpractice cases, in Korea, and in most developed jurisdictions, the plaintiff has the duty to establish, among other things, a nexus between the alleged injury and the actions or in actions of the doctor. Proving this nexus is, often, difficult because of the apprehension of expert witnesses (doctors) to step on the toes of other doctors, cost of
Continue readingEnglish-speaking Korean lawyers and International Lawyers at International Law Firm in Korea discussing issues of Korean Law
IPG Legal is a leading client-focused international law firm with offices in Korea that is, often, selected over the ubiquitous Korean Law Firms when success is essential and success depends on nuanced street-smart advice, proactive and unconflicted representation. Our attorneys are, intentionally. different from the crowd. From our retired judge partners to our junior associates, we are all trained with an intense focus on client success, lawyer proactivity, and to understand the nexus between your commercial and legal needs. Our attorneys shall never push to you useless memos,
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