Ahn Cheol-soo: "The Tragedy of Late Oh Yo-anna at MBC... Government and Political Circles Must Reflect on Ignoring Freelancers"

"We Must Reflect on Neglecting the Hardships of Freelancers"
"Labor Structure Is Complex... It's Not a Simple Boss-Employee Relationship"

People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo emphasized the need for institutional improvements to ensure that socially vulnerable workers, including freelancers, do not suffer unfair harassment in the workplace in relation to the death of MBC weathercaster the late Oh Yoanna.

On the 9th, Ahn said on his Facebook, “MBC has launched a fact-finding investigation regarding Oh’s death,” adding, “Four months after the late’s death, the Ministry of Labor issued administrative guidance to MBC, and Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo also urged responsible measures.”

Late Oh Yoanna, who worked as a freelance weathercaster for MBC. Screenshot from the late's SNS

However, Ahn said it is uncertain whether the Ministry of Labor will investigate ‘workplace harassment’ in this case, as workplace harassment under the Labor Standards Act applies only to workers in businesses with five or more employees. Ahn said, “The Ministry of Labor said it must first review whether the late, a freelancer, can be recognized as a worker.”

Ahn pointed out, “It is unbelievable that a broadcaster’s publicly recruited weathercaster is working under a freelance contract, and it is a big problem that freelance workers are in a legal blind spot.”

Ahn Cheol-soo, People Power Party member, Yonhap News Agency

He added, “Since the alleged perpetrators are also fellow freelancers, the company might escape responsibility, which is an even bigger problem,” and “As today’s labor structure becomes more complex, conflicts and harassment occur not only between ‘boss and employee’ but also between ‘employee and employee’ or ‘employee and subcontractor.’”

Ahn said, “MBC must apologize for its delayed response and present thorough and transparent fact-finding results that freelancers and the bereaved family can trust.”

He also emphasized, “It is undesirable for the government and political circles to either use this as a means to attack MBC or to deliberately ignore the problem,” adding, “Before criticizing MBC or the employer, we must reflect on having neglected the difficulties faced by freelance workers who are in a legal blind spot.”

Earlier, on the 7th, the People Power Party held a non-economic public welfare inspection party-government meeting at the National Assembly to review the measures taken by MBC and the Ministry of Employment and Labor regarding the late Oh’s case and to discuss future response plans.

To this end, they plan to consider conducting a special government labor inspection of MBC and to promote the enactment of a special law at the ruling party level to prevent workplace harassment against freelance workers and others.