A South Korean actor accused of sexual assault has been found dead. Jo Min-ki, who had been accused of assaulting at least eight people, was found hanged in a storage area of the building where he lived in Seoul, Yonhap news agency cited police as saying.
Most of his victims were drama students at a provincial university where he taught. The 52-year-old had lost his professorship over the scandal. Jo appeared in various television series and a number of films, including the hit 2013 courtroom drama The Attorney.
The #MeToo movement has gradually gained momentum in South Korea, with allegations of abuse having been made against numerous prominent men in politics and the arts.
Earlier this week, the provincial governor and former presidential contender Ahn Hee-jung resigned after an aide accused him of repeatedly raping her, while the award-winning film director Kim Ki-duk and the actor Cho Jae-hyeon are also facing multiple allegations, as is the internationally renowned poet Ko Un. Kim and Ko deny the allegations.
In addition, two actors, Oh Dal-su and Choi Il-hwan, have been cut out of the sequel to blockbuster hit Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds, after sexual assault allegations. Both actors initially denied the allegations, but later apologised publicly for their actions, with Choi announcing he was immediately retiring from acting. The film-makers said their scenes will either be reshot with different actors or cut altogether.
Women in South Korea have long been reluctant to come forward about sex abuse due to fears of public shaming and bullying. But a Seoul prosecutor in January made a rare move to speak out about sex abuse by a superior on live television, triggering a wave of accusations.
- In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14.
