US EditionRetrial Opens for South Korean Woman Who Bit Off Attempted Rapist's Tongue
SOUTH KOREA, JUL 23 – South Korean prosecutors apologized and requested acquittal in a rare reversal after 61 years, recognizing Choi Mal-ja's self-defense during an attempted rape, the retrial started in Busan.
- On July 23, 2025, prosecutors at the Busan District Court asked to clear Choi Mal-ja's past conviction, citing her self-defense claim and the #MeToo movement's influence.
- In May 2020, Choi Mal-ja filed a retrial petition, faced rejection, and the Supreme Court of South Korea overturned those decisions in December 2023.
- Choi Mal-ja, then 18, bit off about 1.5cm of her attacker’s tongue per court records, received a 10-month suspended sentence, while the attacker’s sentence was six months for trespassing.
- Legal observers expect the court will grant the acquittal, as Jeong Myeong-won apologized, saying `we sincerely apologise` and acknowledged causing her pain and agony.
- This outcome could serve as a turning point in protecting victims’ right to self-defense, with the final ruling scheduled for Sept. 10, Choi Sun-hye said, potentially influencing legal reforms.
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21 Articles
21 Articles
Inspired by the #MeToo movement in South Korea, the 80-year-old woman has been campaigning for several years to see her conviction overturned.
·Paris, France
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The South Korean prosecution has now apologized to him, 62 years later.
Hard to believe: A woman was convicted for biting out a piece of her attacker's tongue. Now the case has been reopened.
·Berlin, Germany
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources21
Leaning Left4Leaning Right3Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Center
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources are Center
42% Center
L 33%
C 42%
R 25%
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