According to reports on June 26, the Supreme Court’s Third Division dismissed the prosecution’s appeal on June 25. The ruling leaves intact the appellate court’s decision that overturned his earlier conviction and found him not guilty.
The decision concludes a legal battle that lasted nearly four years after Oh Yeong Su was indicted without detention in November 2022.
Prosecutors accused the actor of two incidents involving a junior female theater colleague, identified as A, while he was staying in Daegu for a production of King Lear in 2017.
The allegations included claims that he hugged A on a walking path and kissed her on the cheek outside her residence without consent. O Yeong Su denied committing indecent assault, previously stating that he had held her hand but had not behaved inappropriately.
In March 2024, the first-instance court found him guilty and sentenced him to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program. The court said the complainant’s diary, counseling records and testimony were largely consistent with the allegations.
The ruling changed at the appellate level in November last year. The Suwon District Court overturned the original judgment and acquitted Oh Yeong Su, finding that reasonable doubt remained. The court noted that parts of the complainant’s account had changed over time, including whether the actor attempted a kiss or actually kissed her.
It also concluded that the intensity of the alleged hug alone was insufficient to establish indecent assault beyond a reasonable doubt. After the acquittal, Oh Yeong Su’s representatives said they were grateful for what they described as a wise judgment. The complainant’s representatives strongly criticized the decision, arguing that it failed to adequately reflect the power dynamics surrounding sexual violence cases.
Prosecutors appealed the acquittal, citing alleged errors in legal interpretation. However, the Supreme Court rejected that appeal, officially finalizing Oh Yeong Su’s not-guilty verdict.
Sources: Daum | 스포츠경향
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