Amid allegations that the late Oh Yoanna, a former MBC weathercaster, faced workplace harassment during her lifetime, MBC has issued a statement.
On the 28th, MBC stated, "It is very delicate to mention facts related to the deceased, so we must be extremely cautious in our response." They added, "The only verifiable fact is that the deceased never reported her grievances to the responsible departments (Human Resources Team of the Management Support Department, Clean Center of the Audit Department) or to the management personnel she worked with while freelancing."
They further explained, "If the deceased had officially reported her grievances (such as workplace harassment) to the company at that time, or even if she had informed responsible managers of her suffering in any way, the company would have naturally conducted an appropriate investigation."
Regarding reports that "the deceased informed four MBC officials of her suffering before her death," they pointed out, "Please let us know who those individuals are." They emphasized, "We urge against the indiscriminate dissemination of unverified information and the raising of suspicions, as it not only directly affects the deceased's honor but could also lead to further victims."
Additionally, they stated, "We currently do not have the recently confirmed will of the deceased. If the family requests verification of facts based on the newly discovered will, MBC is prepared to commence an investigation as soon as possible."
Earlier, the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regional daily, Maeil Shinmun, reported on the 27th that "a will totaling 2,750 characters over 17 pages was found on the late Oh Yoanna's mobile phone after the password was unlocked," adding, "The will contained complaints about workplace harassment from two specific weathercasters."
According to Maeil Shinmun, Oh Yoanna, who became an MBC freelance weathercaster in May 2021, faced harassment starting in March of the following year. The will reportedly stated that a senior weathercaster who joined earlier made a false report and blamed it on Oh Yoanna, while another weathercaster criticized her for pointing out incorrect weather information, saying, "A junior should not dare to correct a senior."
It was also revealed that in a KakaoTalk conversation, a weathercaster, despite being a freelancer, called Oh Yoanna to the office after working hours, claiming "I need to teach you," and prevented her from leaving for over an hour to an hour and a half.
Oh Yoanna passed the MBC weathercaster selection in May 2021 and gained recognition after appearing on tvN's "You Quiz on the Block" in 2022. She passed away at the age of 28 last year.
