[Comprehensive Report] “Mom, I told everything about the harassment.”
It was reported that two months before her death, MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna had informed a senior member of the weather team about the harassment she faced and confided in her mother.
On the 3rd, TV Chosun reported, “When the suspicion of workplace harassment regarding the late Oh Yoanna arose, MBC officially stated on the 27th of last month that the deceased had never informed any grievance department or management. However, it was confirmed that there is a recording of a call between the deceased and her mother, stating she had told a senior about the harassment two months before her death.”
Oh Yoanna’s family stated, “Yoanna repeatedly sought advice and told person A, who then reportedly rebuked B (the perpetrator). They expressed frustration, saying, although A knew about Yoanna’s grievances, they participated in the harassment. We later found out about the harmful remarks made in a group chat. They pushed someone, who was already on the edge, off the cliff.”
Person A, mentioned in the recording, reportedly has no official title but is responsible for task coordination within the weather team.
There are also ongoing testimonies indicating that workplace harassment in MBC’s weathercaster team is a chronic issue.
Former MBC weathercaster Park Eunji remarked, “I understand from enduring it myself,” emphasizing that the deeply rooted culture of workplace harassment must be fully exposed, while former caster Bae Suyeon also mourned, saying, “Nobody listened to my voice.”
Oh Yoanna entered MBC as a weathercaster in 2021 but suddenly passed away last September at the age of 28. The news of her passing was only disclosed three months later, in December, and the cause of death was not revealed. However, recent reports by Maeil Newspaper raised suspicions that she faced workplace harassment during her lifetime. The family claimed that Oh Yoanna took her own life, revealing that a 17-page manuscript was found on her phone. It is reported that since March 2021, after joining MBC in May 2021, she claimed to have experienced harassment, resulting in significant repercussions. A media outlet also reported that there are recordings of Oh Yoanna expressing her distress about workplace harassment to four MBC officials, creating further controversy.
In response, MBC officially launched a fact-finding committee five months after her death. The committee, composed of two external and three internal members, will begin its activities with the first meeting on February 5 (Wednesday), and they aim to conduct a swift and accurate investigation. The police have also initiated an inquiry.