Photo: Choi Mal-ja (right) celebrates her court victory. Credit: Yonhap News.
On September 10, the Busan District Court 부산지방법원 declared 78-year-old Choi Mal-ja 최말자 not guilty of felony assault. In 1961 Choi, then 18, bit off the tongue of her assailant while fighting back against a rape attempt. Although police initially recognized Choi’s attempt as self-defense, the Busan District Prosecutor’s Office 부산지방검찰청 brought criminal charges against Choi, ultimately convicting her and issuing a suspended sentence of ten months in prison.
Choi’s case has since become infamous as an example of the sexism latent in South Korea’s legal system. In May 2020, emboldened by the #metoo movement, Choi filed a petition for a re-trial. Although the District Court and the High Court rejected her petition, on December 18, 2024, the Supreme Court 대법원 reversed the decisions of the lower courts, finding that prosecutors in 1961 illegally detained Choi and coerced a confession from her without an attorney present.
On July 23, 2025, the Busan District Prosecutor petitioned for a verdict of “not guilty” in Choi’s case and entered a formal apology into the court record. On September 10, the court formalized the decision, clearing Choi’s conviction after 61 years.
