South Korean Woman Acquitted After 61-Year Self-Defense Conviction

Choi Mal-ja, a South Korean woman who was convicted over 60 years ago for biting off part of her attempted rapist's tongue, was acquitted in a landmark retrial recognizing her act as self-defense. At 18, Choi was attacked and bit 1.5 centimeters of the man's tongue to escape, but was originally sentenced to 10 months in prison while her attacker received a lighter sentence for trespassing and intimidation. The retrial followed a petition initiated in 2018, inspired by the #MeToo movement, and concluded with prosecutors apologizing and requesting her acquittal. The Busan District Court's decision brought widespread applause, acknowledging the miscarriage of justice and setting an important precedent for recognizing self-defense in sexual violence cases. Choi expressed her hope to support other victims through her case, which had been cited in legal textbooks as a key example of past failures to protect sexual assault survivors. This ruling marks a significant step toward justice for victims of sexual violence in South Korea.