"Squid Game" actor O Yeong-su has been cleared of sexual misconduct charges by a South Korean court.

The 81-year-old star was accused in 2022 of twice assaulting a woman by allegedly hugging her and kissing her on the cheek without consent.

In 2024, O was found guilty and handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence, which he appealed.

On Tuesday, the appellate court overturned the ruling, noting that O had completed sexual violence education and suggesting that the alleged victim's recollection of events might have been "distorted" due to the time that had passed since the incident.

The alleged incidents occurred in 2017 while Mr O was in a rural area for a theatre project.

The woman reportedly filed a complaint against him in 2021, but the case was initially closed in April that year. Prosecutors later reopened the investigation "at the victim's request", according to the Yonhap news agency.

In a statement cited by local media, the Suwon District Court said there was "uncertainty" over whether Mr O had actually committed the assault.

"It is possible that the victim's memory became distorted over time, and when such doubt exists, the defendant should be granted the benefit of the doubt," the court said.

However, the court statement also acknowledged the possibility that Mr O might have committed the assault, noting that he had previously apologised to the victim.

Following the verdict, the alleged victim expressed disappointment, saying the decision would not "invalidate the truth or erase the pain I have endured."

"Despite today's judgment, I will keep speaking the truth until the very end," she said in a statement issued through the women's rights group Womenlink.

Womenlink condemned the verdict as well, saying they were "outraged by a decision that once again hides sexual violence within the theatre industry."

It remains uncertain whether prosecutors will file an appeal.

Speaking to local media following the verdict, Mr O expressed "gratitude to the court for its wise decision."

O Yeong-su gained worldwide recognition for his role in "Squid Game", the dystopian drama where contestants risk their lives playing lethal versions of childhood games.

In 2022, he made history as the first South Korean actor to win a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, thanks to his acclaimed performance in the debut season of the hit Netflix thriller.