Ms. Kim, an ethnic Korean from Japan, learned of the decision to free her husband Mr. Noh on June 17. Noh was imprisoned on charges of habitually molesting his stepdaughter for seven years starting in 1994, but was in the middle of an appeal. In protest, Kim severed the index finger on her right hand and sent it by mail to the 4th Seoul Criminal Court on Monday. Sent with the finger was a letter written in blood calling for Noh to be heavily punished, picture of Kim's hand (minus a digit) and proof of treatment.

Judge Lee Ho-won said Tuesday that he accepted it as a statement calling for strong punishment of the defendant, but the court is keeping the finger in a refrigerator in order to return to Kim.

Mr. Noh got his PhD from MIT in the U.S. and was a professor at a university in Hong Kong. He was arrested last August and was sentenced to seven years in February. As his appeal case could not be finished by June 26, when his confinement period would terminate, he was let out on bail.

Kim came over from Japan and held a press conference and explained the background of her protest, saying, "Even my scarred child testified in court, and I thought we provided enough evidence [to bring heavy punishment against Noh] so that the court could sufficiently decide, but then the sentencing day, which was originally set for June 25, was suddenly pushed back."

Meanwhile, Noh's lawyer said, "Noh's release on bail was in accordance with criminal court regulations, and I'm sure my client is innocent."

(Choe Gyeong-un, codel@chosun.com )