MBC has officially acknowledged the bullying incident regarding the late weather caster Oh Yoanna and apologized to her family for the first time, eight months after her death. However, Kim Gayoung, who was identified as the alleged perpetrator, appeared on the next morning’s weather forecast without any changes, raising questions about MBC’s sincerity.
On the 19th, through its main news program ‘News Desk,’ MBC reported the results of the special labor inspection by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stating, “We take the Ministry’s judgment that Oh Yoanna experienced bullying seriously.”
Anchor Jo Hyun-yong added, “We will take measures against those involved and improve the overall organizational culture,” and announced the establishment of a ‘Win-Win Cooperation Officer’ and a system where issues involving freelancers and irregular workers can be immediately reported to a third party.
Additionally, MBC emphasized legal reviews concerning the status of freelancers and promised appropriate measures. The company once again apologized to Oh Yoanna’s family and expressed condolences for her unfortunate situation.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor concluded after three months of special labor inspection since February that Oh Yoanna had been bullied. However, they decided it was difficult to penalize anyone involved, as the deceased could not be recognized as a ‘worker’ under the Labor Standards Act.
Oh Yoanna’s mother, Jang Yeon-mi, strongly opposed this conclusion, arguing, “This doesn’t make sense. She was hired through open recruitment, signed a freelance contract, and was exploited, so how is she not considered a worker?”
The Ministry recognized 25 freelancers at MBC as workers and found six violations of labor laws, imposing a fine of 15 million won on MBC.
MBC, through a separate press release, conveyed condolences to the deceased’s relatives and committed to preventing recurrence by improving organizational culture and adhering to labor laws, pledging to take appropriate actions against those involved.
Oh Yoanna passed away in September 2023, with her death disclosed three months later. Her will, found in her cell phone, detailed workplace harassment from fellow weather casters, triggering a public outcry. The bereaved family has filed a civil lawsuit against a colleague identified as the perpetrator.
In the meantime, on the 19th, the weather forecast segment of ‘News Desk’ was presented by Gum Chaerim, who was not part of the workplace bullying-related group chat among weather casters and has never been identified as a perpetrator in connection with this incident. However, the next morning on the 20th’s ‘News Today,’ Kim Gayoung, who had been involved in previous controversies, appeared for the weather forecast, attracting viewers’ attention.
Reporter: Jeong Bit