A South Korean court on Thursday, February 26, 2015 put an end to a 62-year-old law that forbids extra marital affairs, saying it violates the law of personal freedom.
Under the old law, having sex with a married person who is not your spouse was punishable by up to two years in prison. The law was created to provide women with legal support during a time when few were financially independent to have the option of leaving their cheating husbands.
Nearly 53,000 South Koreans have been indicted on adultery charges since 1985, and last year 892 were charged but none were imprisoned.
The debate over the adultery ban intensified in recent years as fast-changing trends challenged past traditional values.
Supporters of the law had claimed it promotes monogamy and keeps families together, while opponents argued that the government had no say with people’s private lives or determine their sexual affairs.
After the ruling by the Constitutional Court, the stock price of South Korean condom maker, Unidus Corp increased daily by 15 percent on South Korea’s Kosdaq market.
