'Squid Game' game star charged with sexual misconduct in Korea

SEOUL: Korean actor Oh Yeong-su, known for playing 'Player 001' in the hit South Korean series 'Squid Game', has been indicted on sexual misconduct charges and was released later without detention.

Sources said that prosecutors in the city of Suwon revealed on Friday that they had charged Oh Yeong-su the day before. The 78-year-old Oh Yeong-su is alleged to have inappropriately touched the body of a woman in mid-2017.

A complaint was lodged with the alleged victim in December 2021, with a case following it. According to Variety citing Yonhap news agency, the case was shut in April but opened again at the victim's request.

Oh Yeong-su rejected all allegations upon being questioned by the prosecutors.

"I just held her hand to guide the way around the lake. I apologized because [the person] said she wouldn't make a fuss about it but it doesn't mean that I admit the charges." the 78-year-old actor said in a statement.

In 2013, Oh Yeong-su claimed to have been a part of over 200 stage plays, which included the Korean adaptation of 'A Streetcar named Desire'.

The actor's role in 'Squid Game' earned him a Golden Globe Award in the "best-supporting" actor in a series, miniseries of television film" category, along with an Emmy nomination