O Yeong-Su, the 81-year-old actor famous for his role in the Netflix hit Squid Game, has been acquitted of sexual misconduct charges by a court in South Korea. The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, overturns an earlier guilty verdict and suspended prison sentence.
Mr. O was originally charged in 2022 with sexually assaulting a woman twice in 2017, with allegations stating that he hugged the woman and kissed her on the cheek against her will. He was found guilty in 2024 and given an eight-month suspended prison sentence, a verdict he immediately appealed.
Rationale for Overturning the Verdict
The Suwon District Court overturned his sentence, citing doubt as to whether Mr. O had committed the assault, based on the principle that the defendant must be given the benefit of the doubt in cases where evidence is inconclusive.
In a statement reported by local media, the court suggested that the alleged victim’s memory may have been “distorted” considering the length of time that had passed since the incident occurred in 2017.
“There is a possibility that the victim’s memory has been distorted over time, and when there is doubt… the defendant must be given the benefit of the doubt,” the court said.
However, the statement also noted that it was possible Mr. O had committed assault, given that he had previously apologized to the victim.
Victim and Womenlink Criticize Ruling
The alleged victim spoke out against the acquittal, emphasizing the pain she has suffered: “Despite today’s ruling, I will continue to speak the truth to the very end,” she said in a statement released through women’s rights organization Womenlink.
Womenlink also criticized the ruling, stating they were “outraged by a ruling that once again conceals sexual violence in the theatre world.”
The alleged assaults took place in 2017 while Mr. O was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance. The alleged victim filed a complaint in 2021, which was initially closed but later reopened by the prosecution “at the request of the victim.”
Speaking to local media after the court ruling, Mr. O said he had “gratitude to the court for its wise judgement.”
Mr. O rose to international fame after starring in Squid Game and, in 2022, became the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe award for best supporting actor in a series for his performance in the thriller.
Source: BBC
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