Investigation Sought into MBC CEO & Colleagues Following Workplace Harassment Allegations in the Death of Meteorologist Oh Yoanna

The fallout from the allegations of workplace harassment against late MBC meteorologist Oh Yoanna, who passed away on September 15th, 2024 at the age of 28, continues to unfold. MBC CEO An Hyeong Jun and the late meteorologist’s colleagues have been reported.

Following Oh Yoanna’s passing on September 15th, her family decided that they would not reveal the reason behind her death. However, they believed that the late meteorologist attempted suicide after discovering a 17-page final letter in her mobile phone’s Note app. The final note reveals all the struggles that Oh Yoanna endured while being bullied at work and the harassment she experienced from her two colleagues in March 2022, not long after she joined MBC in May 2021.

Citizen Files Complaint for Investigation into MBC Officials

On January 31, a citizen (Person A) filed a complaint. The complaint asked for an investigation into MBC CEO An Hyeong Jun, department heads, and colleagues of the late meteorologist. The charges included aiding evidence destruction, professional negligence, and violating the stalking law.

Person A argued that the meteorologist’s colleagues might have violated the stalking law. This was through repeated negative behavior and contact after work, which contributed to her death. They also noted that a group chat among some colleagues may have negatively impacted her mental health.

Person A cited the meteorologist’s final letter, suggesting that workplace harassment contributed to her suicide. They also pointed out that MBC had not posted an obituary, raising suspicions of evidence concealment.

Additionally, they called for an investigation into the department head’s failure to address the harassment. They urged a thorough inquiry into the potential criminal responsibility for the harassment and its role in the tragedy.

The Impact of Workplace Harassment on Oh Yoanna

Oh Yoanna joined MBC as a freelance meteorologist in 2021. During the time she worked for MBC, Oh Yoanna only received 1.3 million won a month, which is much lower than the minimum salary level (2 million won).

The controversy intensified after a letter she left behind was made public on January 27. The circumstances of her death, which occurred in September last year, had initially been unclear.

The letter revealed that certain colleagues, referred to as B and C, harassed her with statements like “Your lack of ability could lead to the whole meteorology team being disbanded” and “Your attitude toward your work and performance is problematic, and there’s no reason for you to stay in MBC’s news department,” and they also prevented her from leaving after work.

According to the letter, Oh Yoanna was often told to stay at the office after work to get scolded. When tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block” invited her, other colleagues also criticized her and verbally abused her.

Family’s Legal Actions and MBC’s Response

The late meteorologist’s family has also discovered audio recordings and mobile messenger conversations that include the victim reporting the harassment to MBC officials before her death. Maeil Newspaper also confirmed that they obtained many recordings and messages proving that other meteorologists consistently bullied Oh Yoanna and criticized her skills for many reasons.

On January 23, Oh Yoanna’s family filed a lawsuit for damages against some of her colleagues for workplace harassment at the Seoul Central District Court. They claimed that Oh Yoanna had endured severe bully and harassment from her colleagues for two years from October 2021 until she died.

In response, MBC issued a statement on January 28, claiming, “The deceased never communicated her grievances to the department or any manager,” and added, “If the family requests a factual investigation, MBC will begin an inquiry as quickly as possible.” The company also expressed concerns, “We are worried about forces attempting to destabilize MBC by approaching this issue from a political perspective.”

Here is the full text of the complainant’s statement of purpose for filing the complaint:

The late Oh Yoanna case involves workplace harassment, stalking, and alleged destruction of evidence, requiring a thorough investigation.

The case of the late Oh Yoanna is not a simple workplace conflict, but a serious social issue involving continuous harassment and circumstantial evidence of neglect. Particularly, the failure to post an obituary after her death suggests potential organized evidence destruction, making a thorough investigation into this matter essential.

The deceased reported the harassment to four MBC employees during her lifetime, but MBC is accused of neglecting the matter or failing to protect her due to deficiencies in its internal reporting system. This negligence and inadequate response likely contributed to her extreme decision, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor should thoroughly investigate whether MBC violated Articles 76-2 (prohibition of workplace harassment) and 76-3 (duty to take action if harassment occurs) of the Labor Standards Act.

In particular, the failure to post an obituary after the death of the deceased is not merely an internal decision; it could suggest an organized attempt to cover up the situation due to concerns about it turning into a criminal case. According to Article 155 of the Penal Code (Destruction of Evidence, etc.), encouraging someone to destroy criminal evidence is a crime. The Supreme Court has also judged that requesting someone to delete evidence in a criminal case constitutes an abuse of the right to defense (Supreme Court ruling on November 26, 2020). Therefore, the police must clarify the background behind the failure to post the obituary.

Furthermore, the ongoing and organized harassment towards the deceased suggests that this was not merely a personal conflict, but rather organized harassment that included external interference and repeated psychological pressure. The police should carefully consider the possibility of applying the Stalking Crime Punishment Law and investigate the criminal responsibility of both the perpetrators and those who aided them.

The Stalking Crime Punishment Law regulates not only physical proximity but also sustained, repeated psychological pressure and harassment. In light of the allegations of a “bullying group chat,” if the content of this chat was conveyed to the deceased through a third party, causing her psychological distress, this could go beyond simple workplace conflict and constitute a violation of the Stalking Crime Punishment Law.

This case should serve as an important turning point in highlighting the seriousness of workplace harassment and attempts to cover it up. To strengthen employer responsibility and establish effective victim protection measures, the Seoul Mapo Police Department should collaborate closely with the Ministry of Employment and Labor to thoroughly investigate the case and set a precedent to prevent similar incidents in the future.