South Korean prosecutors have requested a one-year jail term for Squid Game actor Oh Young-soo for sexually harassing a woman in 2017, Korean media reported on Feb 2.
The 79-year-old actor, best known for starring as Player 001 Oh Il-nam in the Netflix smash hit Squid Game, was indicted on charges of sexual misconduct in November 2022.
The case dates back to December 2021, when a woman filed a complaint against Oh with the police.
She said that Oh, then a member of a theatre troupe, groped and kissed her on the cheek without her permission during a performance tour, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.
South Korean police had initially dismissed the case in April 2022 but reopened the case at the woman's request.
During a final trial on Feb 2, the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office sought a one-year jail term for him, and to restrict him from working with children and youth.
The office said: "He avoided his responsibility, saying the victim was 'like a daughter to him', though the victim asked for an apology, making the victim frustrated."
Oh reportedly denied the charges during investigations, according to the Korea Herald.
"It's so painful and hard to stand in this court at this age like this," Oh said.
"It is miserable that the last chapter of my life to end in such a way, making my whole life fall apart."
Oh's attorney argued that little evidence, apart from the woman's testimony, is available at the moment.
Oh's case is set to be heard again on March 15.
In 2022, Oh became the first South Korean actor to a Golden Globe award. He won the Best Supporting Actor in the television category for his role as a hapless yet cunning contestant in Squid Game.
He was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 74th Emmy Awards.
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
