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Korea, it is illegal for people who are not blind to provide massage or massage services.

Although claims that this law is against the Constitution has been raised several times, the Constitutional Court has been making a constitutional decision each time.

But today (22nd), the first ruling came out against this constitutional decision.



This is the exclusive report by reporter Lee Hyun-young.



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In 2017, the Constitutional Court made a constitutional decision in the case of unconstitutional legal trials against the current medical law, which only allowed the visually impaired to qualify as masseurs.



It was the fourth constitutional decision after 2008, 2010 and 2013.



Heonjae said, "Massage business is almost the only job that blind people can normally run," and decided that it was "an inevitable option to guarantee the right to live for the blind."



But today a court ruling came out against this constitutional decision.



Chief Judge Choi Chang-seok of the Seoul Central District Court's 8th Criminal Division has pleaded innocent to the defendants who have been handed over to the trial for unqualified massage services.



Deputy Judge Choi pointed out that the current medical law is not reflecting the reality, saying, "As the demand for massage and massage market has exploded, the number of related workers is estimated to be at least 100,000, but less than 10,000 qualified masseuses.



At the same time, he ruled that the current medical law "infringes on the nature of the job options and equal rights of persons with disabilities other than the visual and non-visual."



"The right to pursue happiness of the general public, who can choose and enjoy various massages, is also infringed," he said.



He pointed out that the current medical law is unconstitutional.



Considering the fact that the Korean Masseurs Association, made up of visually impaired people, held a collective demonstration whenever a constitutional ruling was issued, it seems that the wave of innocence would be difficult.



(Video coverage: Yang Doo-won, video editing: Lee Seung-hee)