SEOUL: A South Korean court has reopened a decades-old case involving a woman who was convicted for defending herself against sexual assault in 1964.
The retrial follows renewed attention from the #MeToo movement, which inspired Choi Mal-ja to challenge her past conviction.
Choi was 19 when a 21-year-old man attacked her in Gimhae, forcing his tongue into her mouth.
Court records show she bit off part of his tongue to escape. While the attacker received a suspended sentence for trespassing and intimidation, Choi was convicted of grievous bodily harm and given a suspended 10-month prison term.
The original court ruled her actions “exceeded the reasonable bounds of legally permissible self-defence.”
Decades later, the #MeToo movement, which gained global traction in 2017, encouraged Choi to seek justice. South Korea’s women’s rights protests have since led to legal reforms, including stricter penalties for sexual crimes.
Choi filed for a retrial in 2020, but lower courts initially rejected her petition. After years of appeals, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial in 2024.
“For 61 years, the state made me live as a criminal,“ Choi told reporters outside the Busan District Court. She hopes the case will inspire a future free from sexual violence.
The prosecution has now requested the court to overturn her conviction. A verdict is expected in September. - AFP
