South Korean Woman Acquitted After 61 Years for Defending Herself Against Sexual Assault

In a landmark ruling that resonates beyond decades, Choi Mal-ja, a South Korean woman convicted more than 60 years ago for biting off part of her attacker’s tongue, has finally been acquitted. At age 18 in 1964, Choi was brutally assaulted in Gimhae by a 21-year-old man, who forcibly pinned her down, blocked her nose, and forced his tongue into her mouth. In a desperate act of self-defense, she bit off approximately 1.5 centimeters of his tongue to escape.

Following this incident, the assailant retaliated by breaking into Choi’s home, threatening her father with a knife, and later suing her for grievous bodily harm. In a controversial and deeply unjust decision, Choi was sentenced to 10 months in prison, while the attacker received a lighter six-month suspended sentence for trespassing and intimidation—he was never charged with attempted rape.

For decades, Choi lived under the stain of a conviction steeped in gender bias and societal misconceptions about sexual violence. Her testimony was doubted during her original trial, and judges even suggested marriage to her attacker, reflecting the regressive norms of the era that criminalized victims rather than protecting them.

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Inspired by South Korea’s #MeToo movement, Choi fought tirelessly from 2018 onwards to have her case reopened. Her persistence culminated in a 2024 Supreme Court order for a retrial, and on September 10, 2025, the Busan District Court exonerated her, recognizing her actions as lawful self-defense and proportionate to the threat posed.

The court highlighted that Choi’s response was a justified effort to defend her bodily integrity and sexual autonomy against an unlawful and violent intrusion. Prosecutors publicly apologized for the decades of pain and injustice she suffered due to the original ruling. Outside the courtroom, Choi, now 79, and her supporters celebrated with chants of “Choi Mal-ja did it!” and “Choi Mal-ja succeeded!”

Legal experts hailed this verdict as a landmark victory for self-defense rights in South Korea, underscoring the urgent need to reform the handling of sexual assault cases. Activists hope the ruling will offer new hope to victims across the nation and signal a profound cultural and judicial shift toward supporting survivors rather than punishing them.

Choi herself expressed hope that her case would inspire other survivors to speak out and seek justice, ensuring they do not endure the suffering alone.