Wed Sep 10 11:57:28 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
In 1964, Choi Mal-ja, then 19, defended herself against a sexual assault by biting off part of her attacker’s tongue. In 1965, she was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm and received a harsher sentence than her attacker, who was convicted of trespassing and intimidation. After a 6-decade-long wait, a South Korean court overturned Choi’s conviction, ruling her actions were justifiable self-defense. This retrial was sparked by the #MeToo movement and years of campaigning, with support from women’s rights activists. The ruling sets a precedent for future cases of self-defense against sexual violence and aims to provide hope for other victims.
**News Article:**
**South Korean Court Overturns 1965 Conviction of Woman Who Defended Herself Against Sexual Assault**
BUSAN, South Korea – In a landmark decision, a South Korean court has acquitted Choi Mal-ja, now 79, of grievous bodily harm, reversing a 1965 conviction stemming from an act of self-defense against a sexual assault. The Busan District Court ruled on Wednesday that Choi’s actions in 1964, when she was 19 years old, “constitute justifiable self-defence” under South Korean law.
Sixty years ago, Choi was attacked by a 21-year-old man who pinned her to the ground and forced himself on her. To escape, Choi bit off a piece of his tongue. In a controversial ruling at the time, her attacker received a lighter sentence for trespassing and intimidation, while Choi was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm.
The reversal follows years of campaigning and an appeal ordered by South Korea’s top court. The #MeToo movement, which gained momentum globally in 2017, inspired Choi to seek justice.
“Sixty-one years ago, in a situation where I could understand nothing, the victim became the perpetrator, and my fate was sealed as a criminal,” Choi said at a news conference following the ruling. “For the victims who shared the same fate as mine, I wanted to be a source of hope for them.”
Women’s rights activists celebrated the verdict, hailing it as a victory for victims of sexual violence. “Going forward, women’s defensive acts will be understood as legitimate,” said Song Ran-hee, head of the Korea Women’s Hotline (KWH), which supported Choi during the trial. “I expect this will mean fewer women will face unjust suffering.”
Choi’s lawyers plan to seek compensation from the state for the damages she suffered from her wrongful conviction. This case follows similar rulings in South Korea where women who bit off the tongues of their attackers were acquitted, solidifying the legal recognition of self-defense in cases of sexual violence.
First Piper 