Police launch investigation into workplace harassment allegations surrounding late MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna

Police conduct preliminary inquiry into workplace harassment allegations surrounding late MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna, who passed away last September.

On the 3rd, the Mapo Police Station in Seoul confirmed that they had initiated an inquiry after receiving a petition from the National Petition Office on the 31st of last month. The petition requested an investigation into the workplace harassment allegations against Oh Yoanna.

The complainant, who filed the petition, revealed on the 29th of last month that they had reported MBC, the department head, and two fellow weathercasters for violations of the Labor Standards Act, negligence resulting in death, and other charges through online communities. 

The complainant emphasized that "MBC has a legal obligation under Article 76-3 of the Labor Standards Act to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into workplace harassment complaints and implement measures to protect the victim."

In addition, the complainant also requested an investigation into MBC CEO Ahn Hyung Joon for violations of the Serious Accident Punishment Act.

The complainant stated, "Despite the late Oh Yoanna raising concerns about workplace harassment with four relevant MBC staff members, the company failed to take appropriate action. This requires a thorough legal review to determine whether the company, under the Serious Accident Punishment Act, fulfilled its responsibility to ensure the mental and physical safety of employees."

The workplace harassment allegations involving Oh Yoanna were brought to light on the 27th of last month when a letter she had written was made public by the media. This was followed by an interview with Oh's family, where they revealed that they would release a recording of a phone conversation in which Oh had reported workplace harassment to company officials, further intensifying the suspicions.

In response, MBC announced on the 31st of last month that they had formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding Oh's death. MBC explained in a statement, "To ensure a fair and objective investigation, the fact-finding committee will include several external experts, such as legal professionals, and department heads from the company’s personnel and grievance departments will also participate as operational members to support accurate investigation efforts."