Overview

• The Busan District Court on Wednesday acquitted Choi Mal‑ja, ruling her actions constituted justifiable self‑defence and vacating a six‑decade‑old judgment.
• Court records state she escaped a 1964 assault by biting off about 1.5 centimeters of her attacker’s tongue.
• In 1965 she was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm, while the assailant received a suspended sentence for trespassing and intimidation rather than attempted rape.
• Choi petitioned for a retrial in 2020, and higher courts later authorized a new hearing that led to the acquittal.
• The decision drew applause in the courtroom, and Choi said she hoped it would encourage other survivors, with #MeToo‑era activism having helped revive her case.