Bereaved family of late MBC weathercaster sues over alleged workplace harassment
The bereaved family of former Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation weathercaster Oh Yo-anna, who died by suicide last year, has filed a civil lawsuit against one of her colleagues amid growing allegations that she endured severe workplace harassment.
It was confirmed on Thursday that Oh's family filed the lawsuit on Jan. 23 at the Seoul Central District Court, seeking damages for the alleged mistreatment she suffered while working at MBC.
In their complaint, the family stated, 'From October of the year she joined MBC (in 2021) until her passing, Oh experienced severe psychological distress due to frequent criticism, verbal abuse, personal humiliation and unreasonable demands from a specific colleague.'
Earlier this week, Kang Myung-il, a member of MBC's labor union, shared what appeared to be a suicide note from Oh during a YouTube live broadcast, citing her family as the source.
According to the document, the colleague in question subjected Oh to repeated harassment, telling her that her 'lack of competence could lead to the weather team's dissolution' and that she had 'neither the skills nor the attitude to justify her presence in MBC's newsroom.' The colleague also allegedly prevented her from leaving work on multiple occasions.
In text messages to acquaintances, Oh expressed her distress, revealing that she was 'relying on medication' and suffering from 'excruciating pain near her heart.' Oh died on Sept. 15, 2024.
Via an official statement given to local outlets on Tuesday, MBC maintained that Oh had never reported any grievances to the department responsible for handling such matters.
If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare's helpline on 1393, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.
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Korea Herald
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Korea Herald
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[Lee Kyong-hee] Dr. Oh's surgical tool bags in Pyongyang
As the Lee Jae Myung administration's North Korea policy stirred expectations of detente and potential geopolitical tremors, an obituary in a newspaper caught my eye last month. Dr. Oh Indong, a well-known Korean American orthopedic surgeon and unification activist, passed away on June 19 at his Pasadena, California, home at age 86. Oh enjoyed international acclaim for his expertise in artificial hip joint replacement. A former Harvard Medical School faculty member, he invented major improvements in joint replacement devices and prosthesis systems, obtaining 11 patents and winning prestigious research awards. Back in his homeland, though, his name is more often associated with the pro-unification movement. He was noted for his outspoken views about the division of the Korean Peninsula, including the role of the South Korea-US alliance as an impediment to unity, and possible solutions. How did Oh connect his successful medical career in America and his activism for Korean reunification? The long journey began in 1992, when Dr. Kwon Young-sei, then-president of the Korean American Medical Association, phoned with an audacious suggestion: 'Dr. Oh, let's go to Pyongyang!' Oh agreed immediately. 'Oh, yes! Of course, I'll go.' Oh soon was on his way to the North Korean capital with the KAMA delegation. Its goal was to lay the groundwork for academic exchange and medical support. The trip was before the so-called 'first North Korea nuclear crisis' led to the travel ban on American citizens to the North. 'Some of my colleague doctors who had privately visited North Korea to meet their relatives lamented the poor health care conditions there. I wanted to confirm the North's medical environment with my own eyes so I could do whatever was possible to be of some help,' Oh recalled in his 2010 book, 'My Surgical Tool Bags Left in Pyongyang.' 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Additionally, new government policies requiring various safety and extracurricular education further reduced the time available for free play. Staying in the classroom often means many would end up playing alone or with a small group of close friends. 'Many kids today have little or no experience playing with friends. Even when given the chance to play, they don't know how to play. Screen time has replaced social time. The quality of their play has deteriorated,' the teacher said. Doo Eu-gene, another elementary school teacher in Seoul, said that the root of children's lack of playtime lies in Korea's 'anachronistic college entrance system,' which places academic pressure on students from a very young age. 'Because the pursuit of college entrance as the ultimate goal casts a long shadow over learning from as early as kindergarten. Children feel guilty when they play and think it is a waste of time,' Doo said. As children advance to higher grades, they go to more academies focusing on English and mathematics, and they come to school tired, the teacher said. 'As they are tired, they tend to do things that are easy, and play with their smartphones, which instantly and easily give them dopamine,' Doo said. 'They don't tend to do something actively. They are passively doing only what is given.' Unhappy children South Korea's heavy focus on academics may have lifted its academic performance to one of the highest among OECD nations, but it has come at a cost. In international surveys, Korean children rank lowest in overall happiness: 22nd out of 22 OECD member countries surveyed. Korea has ranked No. 1 in suicide rate among OECD members since 2004. Suicide has remained the leading cause of death among Korean youth for 13 consecutive years since 2011. The survey also found that 92.2 percent of youth reported having concerns, with the top sources of worry being academic pressure (32.7 percent), career-related anxiety (26.1 percent) and appearance (12.0 percent). 'Play is inevitable for children's emotional and social development,' said Kim Jae-won, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Seoul National University Hospital. 'When they lack play, it causes problems in social skills development.' 'Through play, children learn how to adjust their opinions, show consideration, read and empathize with others, and emotionally communicate with others. They sometimes feel discouraged, but learn how to endure it,' he said. 'When they lack this emotional adjustment or capacity to endure discouragement, it could lead to depression or anxiety disorders.'
