Overview
- The Suwon District Court’s appellate panel ruled the evidence did not prove indecent assault beyond a reasonable doubt, citing possible distortion of the accuser’s memory over time.
- Judges acknowledged reasons for suspicion, including the accuser’s counseling six months after the alleged incident and O’s apology at her request, but applied the benefit‑of‑the‑doubt standard.
- The decision throws out a March 2024 verdict that imposed an eight‑month suspended sentence and 40 hours of sexual‑violence education, which O has completed.
- Allegations centered on O hugging a junior theater colleague and kissing her cheek without consent during a 2017 regional tour; a 2021 complaint was reopened and led to a 2022 indictment.
- The accuser and women’s‑rights group Womenlink condemned the acquittal, while prosecutors had sought a one‑year prison term in both the original and appellate trials.