A South Korean court has acquitted 79-year-old Choi Mal-ja, 61 years after she was jailed for biting off part of her rapist’s tongue in 1964.

At 18, Choi was assaulted by a man identified as Roh, who forced his tongue into her mouth. She bit it to escape but was later convicted of grievous bodily harm and served 10 months in prison, while Roh received only a suspended sentence for intimidation.

In a retrial, the Busan District Court ruled her act was a lawful and proportionate response to sexual assault. Choi celebrated outside the court, declaring: “I, Choi Mal-ja, am finally innocent!”

The ruling, hailed as a landmark, comes after Choi’s years-long fight inspired by the #MeToo movement. Prosecutors issued an apology for the “immeasurable pain and suffering” she endured.