Overview
- The Suwon District Court’s appellate division on Nov. 11 overturned O Yeong-su’s March 2024 conviction, which had imposed an eight-month sentence suspended for two years and a treatment program.
- Judges said counseling records and an apology supported suspicion but found possible memory distortion over time and insufficient clarity about the hug to establish indecent assault beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Prosecutors had sought a one-year prison term at both stages and now have about a week to seek review by the Supreme Court of South Korea.
- The case stemmed from allegations that O hugged a junior theater colleague during an August 2017 tour and kissed her on the cheek in September; he denied indecency and said he only guided her by the hand.
- The accuser and the women’s rights group Womenlink criticized the acquittal and pledged to continue asserting their claims, while O expressed gratitude for the ruling outside court.