"Weathercasters Are Not Considered Workers, but Harassment Was Found"
Unusual Decision... Likely Influenced by Public Interest and Impact
Regarding the workplace harassment allegations involving the late MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna, who passed away last year, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) has concluded that there were acts that could be considered harassment.
On May 18, SBS reported that after a three-month investigation into MBC, the MOEL determined that while "weathercasters do not fall under the category of workers," there were "acts that could be considered harassment" against Oh Yoanna.
The MOEL judged that Oh Yoanna, as a weathercaster, was not a worker under the Labor Standards Act, taking into account that weathercasters are not exclusively affiliated with a single broadcaster, can work at multiple locations, and may be managed by an agency that handles management duties.
Last year deceased MBC weathercaster the late Oh Yoanna [Image source=Captured from Oh Yoanna's Instagram]
It is generally known that when someone is classified as not being a worker, the MOEL does not determine whether harassment occurred. Previously, in September, when allegations arose that NewJeans member Hani had been ostracized by her agency, the MOEL concluded that because Hani, as a celebrity, was not a worker under the Labor Standards Act, workplace harassment did not apply.
In Oh Yoanna's case as well, the MOEL initially stated that determining her status as a worker was the priority. However, it is presumed that the ministry made the unusual decision to state that "there were acts that could be considered harassment," given the significant public interest and impact of the incident.
Oh Yoanna, after working as an idol trainee, was selected as Suk in the 2019 Chunhyang Selection Contest, and in 2021, she was hired as an open recruitment weathercaster at MBC, where she delivered weather information on both weekday and weekend news programs. She became especially well-known to the public through her appearance on the tvN entertainment program 'You Quiz on the Block.'
The workplace harassment allegations involving Oh Yoanna became known after her death in September last year. Her family members raised the allegations, stating that they found a document totaling 2,750 characters, equivalent to 17 manuscript pages, on her mobile phone. On February 11, the MOEL formed a special labor inspection team in cooperation with the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office and the Seoul Western District Office, launching a special labor inspection into MBC.
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