Yoo Seung-min Appears on MBC Broadcast, Asks "Why Is the Late Oh Yoanna Issue Not Reported?"

Appearance on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus"

Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min urged MBC to report on the case of the late Oh Yo-anna, an MBC weathercaster who complained of workplace harassment.

Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 3rd, Yoo asked the host of MBC Radio’s “Kim Jong-bae’s Focus” program, “Are you also a freelancer, anchor? Why doesn’t MBC properly report or investigate the MBC freelancer incident?” He pointed out, “If there are issues like workplace harassment, a broadcasting company like MBC should actively investigate the facts, reflect on them, and apologize if necessary,” adding, “Other media outlets are all reporting on this, but how can MBC itself, the party involved, not do so? I’m curious, so I’m asking. What do you think, anchor?”

The host replied, “I am also a freelancer,” and said, “From an observer’s perspective, what MBC needs to release is not a report right now but a statement. To issue a statement, an accurate fact-finding investigation must come first.”

The late Oh Yoanna, MBC weathercaster. Oh Yoanna social networking service (SNS)

In response, former lawmaker Yoo said, “Did you know that a statement was released before the fact-finding investigation?” He criticized, “It was strange that the statement said, ‘An investigation can be conducted if the bereaved family requests it,’ but what surprised me was that this was described as a ‘disturbance to shake MBC.’” Yoo added, “I hope MBC properly investigates while considering the feelings of the bereaved family and the victims. No one has spoken properly, so I brought up this uncomfortable issue.” The host responded, “What you say is fundamentally correct. Since a fact-finding investigation committee has been formed, I think a statement will be released once the investigation results come out.”

Weathercaster Oh joined MBC in 2021 and passed away in September last year. The bereaved family filed a lawsuit against MBC employee A at the Seoul Central District Court seeking damages. After this became known, MBC issued a statement saying, “If the bereaved family requests fact verification, MBC is ready to start a fact-finding investigation as soon as possible,” and added, “The deceased, while working as a freelancer, never informed the relevant department or the managers responsible for overseeing her about her difficulties.”