A South Korean woman, convicted over six decades ago for biting off the tongue of a man she accused of attempting to rape her, has finally been acquitted.
Choi Mal-ja, now 78, had lived as a convicted criminal for 61 years following the controversial ruling.
According to The Korea Times, her recent retrial and subsequent acquittal have been hailed as a significant victory for victims of sexual violence and a turning point for South Korea's justice system.
A Decades-Old Injustice
The incident occurred in 1964. Choi Mal-ja, then aged 18 or 19, was attacked by a 21-year-old man.
She stated he was attempting to rape her, pinning her to the ground and forcing his tongue into her mouth. In self-defence, Choi bit off approximately 1.5cm (half an inch) of his tongue.
She was subsequently convicted of “aggravated bodily injury” or “grievous bodily harm” and sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years.
The court at the time ruled that her actions had "exceeded the reasonable bounds of legally permissible self-defense".
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In stark contrast, her alleged attacker received a lighter sentence of six months in prison, also suspended for two years, for trespassing and intimidation. Prosecutors had dropped the attempted rape charges against him.
"I have lived 61 years as a criminal," Choi Mal-ja stated during her retrial.
The Fight for Justice Begins
Choi's long journey for justice gained new momentum decades later8. Inspired by a university class on gender studies and emboldened by the global #MeToo movement, which gained traction in 2017, she decided to challenge her conviction.
In 2020, Choi filed for a retrial, arguing she had been illegally detained. Initially, lower courts rejected her petition, citing the circumstances of the time.
However, following years of campaigning and an appeal, South Korea's top court overturned these rejections in December 2024, allowing the retrial to proceed.
"For 61 years, the state made me live as a criminal," Choi told reporters ahead of the retrial hearing.
A Historic Apology and Acquittal
The first and only day of Choi's retrial took place on Wednesday, 23 July 2025, at the Busan District Court. In an unprecedented move, senior prosecutor Jeong Myeong-won personally attended and issued a formal apology to Ms. Choi.
"The prosecution failed in its role and went in the opposite direction," he said, adding, "We caused immeasurable pain and suffering to Ms Choi Mal-ja, who should have been protected as a sexual violence victim. We deeply apologise".
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