Seoul, Sep 19 (IANS): A Seoul court sentenced renowned playwright and stage director Lee Youn-taek to six years in prison on Wednesday on multiple charges of sexual assault.

The Seoul Central District Court handed down the guilty verdict for Lee Youn-taek, 66, in a case that sparked a "Me Too" movement in the art and entertainment sectors in South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported.

The court ordered him to take 80 hours of therapy sessions and banned him from working at any entity related to children and adolescents for the next 10 years.

He was indicted in April on multiple charges of sexual crimes against female junior members of his famous drama troupe since 2010. He was arrested in late March.

Lee was a leading figure in South Korea's theatre circles and became one of several high-profile South Korean men accused of sexual misconduct. He was alleged to have sexually assaulted 17 women on 62 occasions from 1999 to 2017, the report said.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.