Seoul: Actor Cho Jin-woong's agency has acknowledged that the star engaged in misconduct during his youth but denied allegations linking him to a sexual assault.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho's agency, Saram Entertainment, stated that he "did commit wrongful acts during his teenage years" without providing details on the nature of the misconduct. The agency emphasized that these actions were not related to sexual violence, refuting an online outlet's report implicating Cho in a sexual assault during his high school years.

The agency highlighted the difficulty of confirming the full circumstances due to the passage of more than 30 years. They clearly stated that the allegations had no connection to sexual assault.

The statement was issued following online rumors that accused Cho of involvement in a car theft and sexual assault during high school, suggesting he served time in a juvenile detention facility.

Saram Entertainment also issued an apology to anyone affected by Cho's past actions, expressing, "We sincerely apologize to those who have suffered or been hurt."

Cho, 49, pursued theater and film studies at a university in Busan before launching his career on stage. He made his film debut in "Spirit of Jeet Kune Do: Once Upon a Time in High School" (2004) and received critical acclaim for his performances in films such as "Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time" (2012), "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" (2014), and "Believer" (2018).

He also starred in the popular 2016 South Korean TV series "Signal" and is set to reprise his role in the drama's sequel, which is scheduled for release next year.