In landmark ruling, South Korea court recognises misogyny as motive for hate crime

Women’s advocacy groups praised the court’s decision to define the case as South Korea’s “first misogynistic hate crime”. - ST FILE

SEOUL: An appellate court ruled on Oct 15 that an assault on a female convenience store clerk by a man in Jinju, in South Gyeongsang province, who was allegedly motivated by her short haircut, constituted a misogynistic hate crime.

The landmark ruling is the first time that a South Korean court has explicitly recognised misogyny as a condemnable motive in a criminal case.