South Korean Court Acquits Actor Oh Yeong-su

A South Korean appeals court acquitted veteran actor Oh Yeong-su of sexual misconduct charges on November 11, overturning a lower court's conviction in a case stemming from alleged incidents during a 2017 theater tour. The 81-year-old performer, best known internationally for his role as Player 001 in Netflix's "Squid Game," had faced accusations of hugging and kissing a woman on the cheek without her consent.

The Suwon District Court's Criminal Division 61 ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove criminal intent, citing the passage of time since the events in August and September 2017 in Daegu. The court noted the woman's report of seeking counseling for sexual violence six months after the alleged encounters and Oh's subsequent apology at her request. However, judges emphasized the possibility that her memory could have been distorted over the seven years between the incidents and the trial, stating that doubts required protecting the defendant's interests. Prosecutors, who had sought a one-year prison term during the appeals process, presented no further evidence to sway the bench.

The case originated from a complaint filed by the woman, identified only as A, in...