최말자(77)씨는 정당 방위에 관한 논란이 있을 때마다 언급되는 '강제 키스 혀 절단 사건'의 당사자다. 이는 1964년 5월, 경남 김해의 한 작은 마을에서 당시 18세이던 최씨가 강제로 키스하려는 노모씨 (당시 21세)의 혀를 절단한 사건이다. 법원은 최씨의 정당 방위를 인정하지 않고 중상해죄로 징역 10개월, 집행 유예 2년을 선고했다. 노씨는 사건 이후 최씨의 집에 침입해 협박을 한 죄로 징역 6개월, 집행 유예 2년형이 선고되었다. 그에게 성폭력 관련 혐의는 적용되지 않았다. 억울하게 가해자가 된 지 56만인 2020년, 최씨는 법원에 재심을 청구했다. 하지만 1심과 2심은, "시대가 바뀌고 사회 문화적 환경이 달라졌다고 하여 반 세기 전의 사건을 뒤집을 수 없다"며 그의 재심 청구를 기각했다. 이달 초 부산 여성의전화 사무실에서 만난 최 씨는 "대법원이 양심적이라면 법대로 이 사건에 대한 재심을 열어서 바로 잡고, 정당 방위

Among the basic practical issues when travelling to another country are luggage and transportation logistics. This edition of Survive & Thrive will take a look at apps that help you rent lockers for your bags or public bikes in Seoul. Luggage storage In nearly every subway station in Seoul, there are self-service lockers that one can use for a fee. T-locker -- also known as Ttota Locker -- is an app that allows you to use them. The “Ttota” icon on the app’s map refers to

The year 1988 was a memorable year in many ways. The Iron Curtain was slowly collapsing, the first World AIDS Day was held, the concept of the World Wide Web was first discussed in Switzerland, while denim jackets and Nintendo were all the rage. South Korea celebrated its first democratically elected administration in 16 years together with its most high-profile international event as of yet: the Summer Olympics. “XXIVth Olympiad begins: The world comes to Seoul” reads the front page

Ever since one fateful night in the spring of 1964, Choi Mal-ja has endured the weight of her notorious reputation as a “tongue biter" who supposedly ruined a young man’s life over a kiss. At age 18, Choi bit off part of the man’s tongue as she tried to fight off an attempted rape. From today’s perspective, the nature of her actions is of little debate: It was self-defense. But the world was a different place back then. “The court made me -- the victim -- the

As one of the most tech-savvy countries in the world, South Korea has a number of useful mobile apps that can aid everyday tasks, ranging from delivery and transportation to administrative services. For the next few weeks, Survive & Thrive will introduce free apps that provide such services in English, or those that foreign residents and tourists might find useful. Naver Map To navigate the streets of the massive concrete jungle that is Seoul, Google Maps may not be the best idea. A loca

For those traveling in areas with limited access to public transportation, renting a car may be the best option. Here's a look at the country’s car-sharing and rental system. Rental For most companies, foreigners who have a driver’s license issued by local authorities can rent a car under the same conditions as South Koreans, which is that one must be at least 21 years old and have obtained a driving permit over one year ago to rent a car that has up to nine seats. Other req

South Korean police are mulling deployment vehicles equipped with decibel meters at protests in order to determine whether or not the rallies exceed the legally permitted noise level, local media reported Friday. According to local newspaper Chosun Ilbo, the National Police Agency's plan is to convert one of its trucks to fit a noise-measuring device to be used at protests this year, and to acquire another one of these vehicles by next year. The NPA is currently requesting an extra budget t

Organizers of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival said late Thursday that they are still looking for places in Seoul to hold this year’s event, after the Seoul city government refused its initial request to use its usual venue, Seoul Plaza at City Hall. The organizing committee said that it submitted applications with the Seoul Police Station, Seoul Namdaemun Police Station and Jongno Police Station in Seoul to hold the 17-day annual festival for the LGBT community from July 1 in the nation&r

Earlier last month, a drunk woman in her 40s was arrested for assaulting and injuring a police officer who tried to apprehend her. The officer in question was reportedly unable to use physical force when arresting the suspect, out of fear that she might file sexual harassment charges against him. Each year, thousands of police officers are attacked while conducting law enforcement. According to the National Police Agency, 5,825 of the 7,001 cases in 2021 involving the obstruction of performance

An overwhelming majority of those who fall victim to "romance scams," in which a scammer manipulates the victim by abusing his or her affection and trust, in South Korea are women or under 40, a recent study by scholars at Seoul-based Korea University showed. An analysis of crime reports filed to the National Police Agency between January and June of last year showed that 71.4 percent of victims in a total 280 crimes categorized as romance scams were female, according to the “Cur

Kakao is not just the name of the mobile messenger that almost all South Koreans use. It is a Korean substitute for the US’ Uber or Southeast Asia’s Grab. KakaoT, operated by the messenger app company, is by far the most widely used app to hail a taxi, although there are smaller competitors. One of the advantages of using the apps, especially for tourists, is that they significantly reduce the likelihood of being overcharged or taken advantage of by drivers. These apps track the rout

An elementary school teacher who was alleged to have been convicted of the sexual assault of a middle school student 13 years ago has been removed from his post, Gyeonggi Province’s Office of Education said Thursday. Officials said the decision was made Wednesday, but that the teacher in question has been on a leave of absence since an anonymous online post pinpointed him as one of the 16 high school students who assaulted the underage girl in 2010. The principal of the school -- located i

Gyeonggi Province’s Office of Education said Tuesday that a person accused of being convicted of the sexual assault of a vulnerable middle school student 13 years ago later worked as a teacher at an elementary school, confirming a recent online revelation that sparked public outrage. The office said the person, however, is currently not working at the school. It refused to give more details, citing the protection of personal information. An anonymous claim was made last Saturday on an onli

After weeks of massive protests, the South Korean public finally got what it demanded. In late June of 1987, the junta hoisted a white flag and proposed a constitutional reform for direct presidential elections. “Roh proposes direct election of next president under new Constitution,” reads the front-page story of The Korea Herald's June 30, 1987, edition, signaling the dawn of a new era for a nation that had been under dictatorship for decades. Roh in the headline is the late fo

A man accused of physically abusing a disabled woman in her 80s while living at her home against her will is being held for questioning, local police said Tuesday. According to Yangpyeong Police Station, the 65-year-old suspect is believed to have lived with the victim at her home in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, for over 10 years. He pretended to neighbors that he was her husband and told a local community center that he was her nephew when registering his residence at the victim’s hou