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Actress Ok So-ri has filed a petition with the Uijeongbu District Court asking it to ask the Constitutional Court to consider if the country's adultery law is unconstitutional.
Ok was indicted on Jan. 16 for having an extramarital affair. Under the adultery law, convicted adulterers can be sentenced to up to two years in prison.
In her petition, Ok said that the adultery law violates the individual's constitutionally-protected rights to privacy and to freely engage in sexual activities. Adultery is a matter that should be governed not by criminal law but by civic law, she said.
Ok also argued that the adultery law has been reduced to a means of revenge by a spouse, rather than a way to help salvage a couple's broken marriage.
The petition also said that it is doubtful that the law is effective in protecting women in adultery cases, as there is no evidence that it has contributed to that purpose as womenĄŻs socioeconomic status increasingly improves.
A local district court judge plans to review the petition soon to decide whether to refer the matter to the Constitutional Court. If the judge approves the petition, Ok's adultery case will be suspended until the Constitutional Court rules on the matter.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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