[Sports Chosun.com Reporter Park Ah-ram] MBC has issued an official statement expressing condolences for the death of former MBC weathercaster Oh Yo-anna and promising improvements in organizational culture after the Ministry of Employment and Labor released special labor inspection results acknowledging workplace harassment.
On the 19th, MBC stated through a press release, “We take the results of the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s special labor inspection very seriously and will prioritize preventing recurrence, improving organizational culture, and complying with labor relations laws in our management.”
Previously, the Ministry of Employment and Labor had acknowledged that Oh Yo-anna suffered continuous harassment after joining the company in 2021. The investigation pointed out incidents such as senior weathercasters publicly criticizing her broadcasting, questioning what she could say on “You Quiz.” Such repetitive and emotional behavior was also noted.
Considering that the deceased consistently reported mental distress to those around her and included specific content in her will, such actions were deemed harassment. However, it was determined that weathercasters couldn’t be classified as employees under the Labor Standards Act, so it didn’t qualify as “workplace harassment.”
The bereaved family expressed their disappointment, saying the outcome was “devastating.”
MBC promised, “We will take appropriate actions against those involved,” and stated, “Based on the improvement plan submitted to the Ministry of Labor covering overall organizational culture, we are already making improvements and will re-assess any shortcomings.”
Furthermore, they pledged to reform the system so that freelancers and outsourced personnel do not face discrimination, and expand the “Clean Center” for anonymous reporting.
Meanwhile, former weathercaster Oh Yo-anna ended her own life at the age of 28. In January, a will was discovered on her phone that detailed her experiences of workplace harassment, leading to widespread societal debate over the circumstances of her death. Revelations from group chat content with fellow weathercasters intensified the controversy.
The bereaved family has filed a damages lawsuit against Mr. A, who was identified as the subject of the harassment, and the case is currently under trial.
This special labor inspection looked not only at the case of Oh Yo-anna but also the general organizational culture within MBC. There are plans to acknowledge the employment status of freelance PDs, ADs, and FDs in the current affairs and documentary departments, and corrective actions like requiring written contracts will be enforced.
The official results of the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s MBC special inspection are expected to be announced as early as next week.