Top court clears 'Squid Game' actor O Yeong-su

The top court on Friday finalized the acquittal of "Squid Game" actor O Yeong-su on charges of sexually harassing a woman in 2017, ending a legal battle that had lasted more than three years since his indictment.

The Supreme Court dismissed the prosecution's appeal and upheld the lower court's ruling that acquitted the 82-year-old of sexual assault charges, according to judicial officials.

O was indicted without physical detention in 2022 on charges of hugging and kissing a woman on the cheek against her will during a regional tour for a play in 2017.

The district court had initially sentenced the actor to an eight-month prison term, suspended for two years, but the appellate court overturned the ruling and acquitted O of the charges.

The appeals court at the time said O may have committed sexual assault but still acquitted him, citing the need to protect the defendant's interest in cases where reasonable doubt remains.

The prosecution has since appealed the acquittal, but the top court dismissed the appeal.

O won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role on TV at the 2022 Golden Globe Awards for his role in the sensational Netflix original series "Squid Game" (2021-25).

Yonhap