Broadcaster Jang Seong-kyu has clarified his position regarding allegations that he may have been complicit in the workplace bullying of the late Oh Yoanna, while also appealing against excessive hateful comments directed at his family.
On the 5th, Jang Seong-kyu shared screenshots of hateful comments directed at himself and his family on social media, explaining why he had kept silent about the allegations surrounding Oh Yoanna's death and the accusations against him.
Jang Seong-kyu stated, "I apologize for only being able to mourn in my heart after learning about the late Oh's news last December. Although it's late, I hope that her injustice is resolved and that she finds peace there, and that her family finds comfort. If I can be of help in this, I will do my best," expressing his condolences to the deceased and her family.
The late Oh Yoanna, who worked as an MBC weathercaster, suddenly passed away at the age of 28 on September 28 last year. The news of her death was reported three months later in December, and recently, a 17-page letter was discovered containing complaints about workplace bullying she received from colleagues on her mobile phone, leading to claims that she had suffered from "workplace bullying."
Her family has called for a thorough investigation into the incident, and MBC has also formed a fact-finding committee to investigate workplace bullying. The controversy intensified when parts of a group chat among "four weathercasters" that did not include Oh Yoanna were made public. Jang Seong-kyu's name was mentioned in the chat screenshots, leading some to raise suspicions that he was aware of Oh Yoanna's victimization and was complicit.
Subsequently, some netizens flocked to his social media to criticize him, and as excessive hateful comments continued towards him and his family, Jang Seong-kyu closed the comment section and remained silent on the allegations. However, the intensity of the hateful comments increased, prompting Jang Seong-kyu to explain, "When my name was first mentioned, I was upset because the content was not true, but I judged that my pain was insignificant compared to the pain of the deceased and her family, so I chose to remain silent. However, as more netizens began to interpret my silence as an acknowledgment, hateful comments started appearing on my SNS."
He continued, "Hateful comments about my family began to appear, and in order to fulfill my role as a protector, I limited the ability to comment to my followers. However, netizens who judged this as 'the thief is feeling guilty' increased the intensity of their comments."
He added, "I believe it is wrong to try to resolve my small grievances before the late Oh's injustices are addressed. However, I humbly ask that hateful comments towards my family be restrained until everything is resolved."
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I apologize for only being able to mourn in my heart after learning about the late Oh's news last December. Although it's late, I hope that her injustice is resolved and that she finds peace there, and that her family finds comfort.
If I can be of help in this, I will do my best.
When my name was first mentioned, I was upset because the content was not true, but I judged that my pain was insignificant compared to the pain of the deceased and her family, so I chose to remain silent.
As more netizens began to interpret my silence as an acknowledgment, hateful comments started appearing on my SNS.
Eventually, hateful comments about my family began to appear, and in order to fulfill my role as a protector, I limited the ability to comment to my followers.
However, netizens who judged this as 'the thief is feeling guilty' increased the intensity of their comments.
I believe it is wrong to try to resolve my small grievances before the late Oh's injustices are addressed.
However, I humbly ask that hateful comments towards my family be restrained until everything is resolved.
