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| Jo Min-ki |
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| Oh Tae-suk |
Veteran actor Jo Min-ki, 53, apologized Wednesday over a series of sexual harassment allegations, reversing a "categorical" denial hours after alleged victims came forward to refute his claim. The former Cheongju University acting professor offered to resign last November, following a 3-month suspension from teaching imposed by the university after an internal investigation concluded that he sexually harassed women students for years. Jo, however, said he resigned as he felt ethically compromised as the university pointed out his lapse in judgment when choosing his words during class, emphasizing the allegations had no part in his decision. The university accepted his resignation early this week, ending his eight-year career there.
Representatives at Will Entertainment, Jo's agency, apologized on his behalf, adding he had cancelled all planned TV show appearances. "We apologize for causing such great concern to the public over the allegation, the gravity of which we are aware of. We also understand that a growing number of victims are giving statements contrary to Jo's claim. We deem a police investigation would be in order to determine what really happened. Jo will fully cooperate with the investigation," the agency said in a statement.
The apology with an apparent move to soften increasing public criticism came a day after Jo said through his agency that he was innocent, but had reconsidered an earlier plan to take legal action for defamation against people spreading unfounded allegations, in what he said was a "compassion-induced" decision. Soon after his statement, many alleged victims shared their experience online, adding they were "all but confounded" at his shameless claim.
One of Jo's former students, surnamed Kim, said Jo had called her in to a small studio apartment, asking her to stay the night and touched her under her clothes while lying next to her. Kim said she could not say a word out of fear that she would be disadvantaged in her future career because Jo was a well-established actor with great influence in not only theatrical circles but also with producers and other high-ranking figures at broadcasters. "There were countless accounts of Jo kissing women on the cheek or lips during a friendly get-together, not to mention touching their thighs. Jo casually asked ‘You had sex with your boyfriend, did you like it?' But many of my seniors told me that I need to be responsible for my body," the message read. "It's public knowledge that many women suffered due to his actions, and to see him claiming innocence and vowing stern action against unfounded allegations just leaves us flabbergasted. If people made mistakes, then they should apologize and be punished. I dared to share my personal experience to help many victims stand up for themselves. I hope these efforts will not be in vain."
Meanwhile, a similar allegation was made against another high-profile director Oh Tae-suk, following renowned theatrical play director Lee Yoon-taek, 67, who apologized Monday for alleged multiple acts of sexual misconduct over the past two decades. An actress said Oh, a professor at Seoul Institute of the Arts, touched her thighs and genitals under her clothes under the table at a restaurant in Daehangno, Seoul. A student at the school demanded that he be dismissed, following a thorough investigation and full admission and apology to the victims for his alleged wrongdoing.
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