Suwon: An appellate court on Tuesday acquitted "Squid Game" actor O Yeong-su of sexually harassing a woman in 2017. The Suwon District Court overturned a lower court's ruling that found the 81-year-old guilty of hugging and kissing a woman on the cheek against her will during a regional tour for a play.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the appellate court bench acknowledged the reason to suspect the actor harassed the woman, citing the fact she received counseling for sexual violence six months after the incident and received an apology from O at her request. However, the court also considered the possibility that the victim's memory may have been distorted over time and emphasized the necessity to protect the defendant's interests amid existing doubts.

Previously, the lower court had sentenced O to an eight-month prison term, which was suspended for two years. Throughout the legal proceedings, prosecutors had persistently demanded a one-year prison term during both the initial and subsequent trials.

O Yeong-su gained international recognition after winning the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role on TV at the 2022 Golden Globe Awards for his role in the critically acclaimed Netflix original series "Squid Game."