Latest news with #OhYo-anna
Korea Herald
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Ruling party, government to push for law after death of MBC weathercastser
The ruling People Power Party and the government agreed to introduce a new bill to tackle workplace harassment, in the wake of MBC weathercaster Oh Yo-anna's suicide last year that prompted a backlash against the broadcaster. Rep. Kim Sang-hoon, policy chief of the ruling party, told reporters after his meeting with the government officials to review the national policy direction, that the party will float a special bill to prevent freelancers and on-demand workers from being harassed regardless of their employment status. South Korea had over 4 million freelancers as of 2022, according to the Korea Worker Institute, and a separate government estimate suggested Korea had over 880,000 on-demand workers as of 2023. The party and the government "agreed that it is highly concerning that (MBC) did not take any action after learning that a young worker's death was due to the conflict with colleagues," Kim said. He urged MBC to reveal the truth behind the incident and warning it would ask the Labor Ministry to launch a special probe into MBC. The move follows a recent revelation that late Oh, who was a freelance weathercaster of MBC, had expressed frustration from her colleagues' workplace harassment in a note discovered after she died and mobile phone messages indicated her suffering. Oh was 28 when she died in September. Employees in South Korea are already protected from workplace harassment under the Labor Standards Act, but the act doesn't cover freelancers and other workers who are not considered employees. The current setting stirred a debate as the law precluded an investigation into workplace harassment that Hanni, a Vietnamese Australian member of K-pop girl group NewJeans, claimed she suffered because she could not be considered a worker.
Korea Herald
31-01-2025
- Health
- Korea Herald
Bereaved family of late MBC weathercaster sues over alleged workplace harassment
Oh reportedly expressed distress, revealing she was 'relying on medication' and suffering from 'excruciating pain near her heart' 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.
