Home > National > Social Affairs

Gov't, ruling party pledge measures to stop workplace bullying following weathercaster's death

Published: 07 Feb. 2025, 15:47

Freelance weathercaster Oh Yoanna [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The ruling party and the government have pledged measures to prevent workplace bullying following the death of MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna.

On Jan. 27, it was revealed that Oh, who passed away last year at the age of 28, had died by suicide. A suicide note detailing workplace bullying was found on her cell phone.

"The recent case of weathercaster Oh Yoanna has once again highlighted the seriousness of workplace bullying,” said Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Friday. “The deceased, who suffered extreme distress due to ongoing verbal abuse and unfair orders, ultimately took her own life."

"Since the act against workplace harassment took effect in 2012, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has conducted special inspections on individuals who have caused public controversy,” said Kweon. “The ministry must act solely based on principles and fairness."

Oh, born in 1996, wrote a 17-page suicide note on her cell phone's notepad app at around 1:05 a.m. on Sept. 15 of last year before taking her own life, according to local reports. In the note, Oh recounted her experience of being bullied by two fellow weathercasters at the broadcaster MBC.

Oh, who was hired as a weathercaster at MBC in May 2021, is said to have been subject to bullying since March of the following year. Colleagues blamed Oh for making false reports and called her back to the company after work or prevented her from leaving the office altogether.

In addition, local media reported that a large number of KakaoTalk messages and audio files from colleagues pinpointing Oh’s lack of “skills” had been discovered. When Oh was recruited for an episode of the tvN talk show “You Quiz on the Block” in 2022, another weathercaster criticized her for it.

Oh reportedly informed several MBC officials of the fact that she had been victimized before her death, but MBC reportedly did not conduct a separate investigation.

"We will discuss legislative measures to prevent workplace bullying," said Kim Sang-hoon, the PPP’s policy chief, said Friday. “The PPP and the government will keep in mind the principle that a nation is built upon its people and will make every effort to address blind spots and alleviate public concerns."

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191. The Seoul Foreign Resident Center offers English-language counseling. Contact 02-2229-4900 to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]