South Korean actor Jo Min-ki, 52, who had recently been accused of sexual assault, was found dead at his home on Friday, Deadline reports. Local police suspect suicide. The actor was accused of molesting eight students at Cheongju University, where he had taught as an assistant professor since 2010.
Min-ki was best known within South Korea for his TV roles in series Love and Ambition, East of Eden, Queen Seondeok, and Flames of Desire, but he was also a film actor and appeared in the box-office hit The Attorney in 2013 as Prosecutor Kang Young-cheol.
Eight former students of Min-ki accused him of “using his status as a professor to make unwanted physical contact, making them feel sexually humiliated,” perYonhap News Agency. Min-ki had initially denied all claims, but eventually admitted to the abuse and apologized.
"All this has stemmed from my carelessness and my fault," he said in a statement. "I deeply apologize to all the victims who were scarred by me, and I will not evade all legal and social responsibilities for my fault."
Min-ki then lost his position at the University and edited out of a TV series he was filming. Min-ki was found by his wife hanging in a basement parking lot beneath his home in Seoul, Variety reports.
South Korea is currently in the throes of a series of #MeToo allegations. Acclaimed director Kim Ki-duk was accused of rape and sexual harassment by three anonymous actresses in a documentary earlier this week.
