MBC acknowledged the workplace bullying of the late Oh Yoanna, a weather caster, and bowed its head. However, there is controversy over the authenticity of the apology as the individuals identified as perpetrators are still handling the news.
On the 19th, MBC stated through 'News Desk,' "We take the results of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's special labor inspection very seriously and acknowledge that bullying did occur. We apologize deeply to the bereaved family," and promised follow-up actions such as the establishment of a new 'Director of Cooperative Development' and the introduction of a reporting system for freelance issues.
Oh Yoanna, who had been actively working as an MBC weather caster since 2021, suddenly passed away in September of last year. The news of her death was only disclosed three months later, and in relation to this, the bereaved family revealed that Oh Yoanna had suffered bullying from senior weather casters and had received counseling treatment at over 10 psychiatric clinics, leaving behind 17 letters.
On the 30th of last month, the late Oh's older brother stated, "What we want to emphasize is that the bullying my sister experienced was not an unfair experience that anyone could face at least once in life, but rather 'a level of bullying serious enough to drive a person to death.'" He added, "My sister made the choice to give up her life after enduring terrible pain, while some continue to deliver weather reports and live comfortable daily lives without a care." He expressed his sorrow, saying, "My sister has disappeared from this world, but their ability to go on with their everyday lives feels like secondary harm to us," and emphasized that the bereaved family hopes that the perpetrators and those who stood by them recognize their mistakes and offer genuine apologies and reflections.
On the day the first official apology was made on 'News Desk,' the weather segment was handled by caster Geum Chae-rim, who was a classmate of the late Oh. Geum Chae-rim did not participate in the group Kakao chat room where the bullying incidents were revealed and was not included in the list of perpetrators.
However, the following day, on the morning of the 20th, caster Kim Ga-young appeared in the weather segment of 'News Today.' Despite being mentioned by the bereaved family as a bystander or perpetrator related to the late Oh Yoanna case, she conducted the broadcast without any comment.
On the same day in the afternoon, caster Lee Hyun-seung delivered the weather report on '12 MBC News.' He is also a senior individual who has been mentioned as someone who bullied the late Oh, and his appearance on the broadcast without stepping down is further escalating the controversy.
MBC promised to improve its organizational culture, but it is ironic that the prominent individuals identified as perpetrators are still appearing on air. This is especially poignant as the bereaved family has repeatedly appealed that this represents secondary harm. Currently, there are sharp criticisms on viewer boards and communities questioning whether this constitutes "a true apology" and asserting that "the broadcasting company is protecting bystanders."
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