Remarks on Oh Yoanna’s Workplace Bullying Case
"MBC Looks Glamorous on the Outside, but Domestic Violence Occurs Within"
"A Culture Based on Personal Relationships... If You’re Disliked, It Becomes Ijime"
MBC weathercaster the late Oh Yoanna, who was reported to have died last year after suffering workplace bullying, has brought attention to MBC’s internal culture through People Power Party lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin. Bae joined MBC as a public announcer in 2008, worked as a News Desk anchor, stepped down from the anchor position in 2017, and resigned in March 2018.
In an interview with News1 on the 4th, Rep. Bae said, “When I left MBC, I said something. On the surface, it looks like a fancy family home, but in reality, it is exactly the same as a place where serious domestic violence is committed,” adding, “The biggest problem was that (Oh) sent an SOS (a call for help) to the company, but it was ignored.”
She stated, “(MBC) has such a culture throughout the company. Someone bullying others is tolerated, condoned, and hushed up. It is MBC’s bad internal culture,” and questioned, “The bereaved family said there is a recording of (Oh) confiding the details of the damage to an MBC official, so why didn’t the company prevent (the harm)?”
When asked if there is an organization within MBC to seek help, Rep. Bae said, “It is hushed up,” and criticized, “MBC’s internal culture is based on personal relationships like a university club. If someone doesn’t like you, it becomes a very childish and violent ijime (group bullying).”
The People Power Party plans to push for a parliamentary hearing regarding the allegations of workplace bullying against Oh. On the same day, floor leader Kwon Seong-dong said at the National Assembly floor countermeasure meeting, “Since the social impact is huge, we will request the opposition party to hold a hearing and take the lead in uncovering the truth.”
Oh, who joined MBC in 2021, suddenly passed away in September last year. Then, on the 27th of last month, a will, handwritten diary, recordings, and KakaoTalk conversations were found on Oh’s cellphone that contained evidence of workplace bullying by fellow weathercasters, sparking controversy. Oh’s bereaved family reportedly filed a lawsuit for damages caused by workplace bullying against one of the colleagues suspected of being the perpetrator at the Seoul Central District Court.
MBC decided to form a fact-finding investigation committee chaired by an external expert to determine the cause and truth of Oh’s death. The police received a complaint through the National Police Agency’s civil petition system requesting investigation of the case and have started a pre-investigation (internal inquiry) before formal registration.
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