Actor Oh Young-soo (81) was acquitted in the appeal trial of a forced molestation charge. On the 11th, the Criminal Appeals Division 6 of Suwon District Court overturned the original verdict and acquitted Oh in the appeal trial of the forced molestation case.

The appellate court judged that although the victim reluctantly agreed when the defendant suggested hugging, the hug itself was consensual. The court explained, "The intensity of the hug is unclear," and "The intensity alone cannot be considered forced molestation."

Additionally, the victim received counseling at a sexual violence counseling center about six months after the incident and kept a diary recording inappropriate behavior by the defendant. The court stated, "Considering that the defendant apologized to the victim, there is doubt whether the forced molestation as charged actually occurred."

Oh Young-soo was non-custodially indicted in November 2022 on charges of hugging a woman, A, on a walking trail while staying in the provinces for a theater performance in the summer of 2017, and kissing her on the cheek in front of her residence. The first trial court sentenced Oh to eight months in prison with a two-year probation based on the victim's diary and counseling records.

The prosecution sought a one-year prison sentence in both the first and second trials, while Oh denied the charges. Oh claimed, "It is true that I walked with the victim and visited her residence, but I did not commit any molestation."

After the appeal verdict, Oh Young-soo said, "I am grateful to the court for its wise judgment." In contrast, the victim, through legal representatives, protested, stating, "The deplorable verdict by the judiciary contributes to reinforcing the structure that allows sexual violence to occur." The victim emphasized, "The acquittal cannot invalidate the truth or erase the pain I have endured."

Oh Young-soo gained great popularity for his role as Oh Il-nam in the 2021 Netflix series Squid Game. He was the first Korean actor to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a TV category in the United States. However, due to the forced molestation controversy, he was completely edited out of the upcoming film Family.

The appellate court ruled, "There is a possibility that the victim's memory has been distorted over time," and "When there is doubt whether the defendant committed forced molestation as charged, the benefit of the doubt must go to the defendant."

This case is drawing attention as an example of how legal judgments related to sex crimes are made. The court delivered a not guilty verdict after comprehensively considering the victim's testimony and the defendant's behavior.

There is a need for discussion on how social awareness and legal judgments regarding sexual violence cases will change in the future. This verdict raises important issues concerning the reliability of the victim's testimony and memory in sex crime cases.