With the background of the tragic death of MBC weather caster late Oh Yoanna officially confirmed through an investigation by the Ministry of Employment and Labor as having involved 'workplace bullying,' attention is being focused on those identified as perpetrators and bystanders. Those who suffered from public condemnation since the initial allegations have either remained silent or shown inappropriate responses, and some have already suffered substantial damage regardless of the investigation results, with the company's official measures also anticipated.
The 'late Oh Yoanna workplace bullying case' was brought to light through media reports in January. The deceased suddenly passed away in September of the previous year, but due to the lack of clarity regarding the circumstances, curiosity was piqued, and subsequently, through a note left by the deceased and testimonies from acquaintances, specific senior weather casters were identified as the perpetrators of workplace bullying, shocking many.
The deceased's note reportedly contained specific examples of bullying, including shifting blame for erroneous reports, condemning legitimate work-related criticisms by saying 'a junior should not dare to criticize a senior,' and making inappropriate comments regarding grant opportunities. Allegations have also arisen that the deceased reported the instances of bullying to four individuals related to MBC, but their reports were dismissed.
In the early stages of the allegations, those identified as perpetrators remained silent without stating an official position. Even after they blocked comments on their social media and disabled the comment function on the YouTube channel where they appeared, refusing to communicate, they were spotted continuing to appear in the news as weather casters, drawing public criticism.
During this process, criticism arose that individuals around those identified as perpetrators exacerbated the controversy and triggered secondary harm. Some individuals friendly with a particular senior weather caster stepped forward to make supportive remarks or comments that seemingly obscured the essence of the incident, such as suggesting that 'we should listen to both sides,' provoking public outrage. These remarks backfired, redirecting criticism towards those making the comments. In contrast, Park Eun-ji, a former MBC weather caster, testified that there had been a culture of workplace bullying in the past and expressed her condolences toward the deceased.
Among those suspected of perpetrating the bullying, Kim Ga-young, a weather caster, faced repercussions even before the results of the investigation were released. She was dismissed as an ambassador for Paju, edited out of her appearance on SBS's 'Those Who Can Do' and has stepped down from an MBC radio program. Other YouTube content also withheld her segments, indicating that even the mere allegations resulted in significant constraints on her public activities. This exemplified the serious nature of the allegations in this case.
On the 19th, with the announcement of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's special labor inspection results indicating that 'bullying behavior occurred,' follow-up measures by MBC against those suspected of perpetrating bullying are expected to materialize. MBC stated that it would accept the Ministry of Employment and Labor's judgment with severity, apologize to the bereaved family, and after legal review of the employment status of some freelancers, it would implement appropriate measures in a timely manner. As the bullying fact was acknowledged in the official investigation, those accused as perpetrators can no longer avoid actions based on the company's internal regulations and the recommendations of the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
[Photo] SNS
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