MBC Cuts Ties with Weathercaster Accused of Bullying Deceased Colleague

South Korean broadcaster MBC terminated its contract with a weathercaster identified as the perpetrator of workplace bullying against the late Oh Yo-anna. The decision came shortly after the Ministry of Employment and Labor released its findings from a special labor inspection prompted by the broadcaster’s internal climate.

According to MBC, the dismissal was made official on the 20th, the day before the announcement was made public. The Ministry had determined that Oh Yo-anna had suffered repeated bullying that exceeded acceptable workplace behavior norms. The cited examples included conversations between Oh and the accused that clearly showed undue hierarchical pressure and psychological stress not related to work necessity.

The investigation, conducted by the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office and Seoul Western Local Employment and Labor Office, focused on workplace dynamics for employees who may not be classified as full-time under the Labor Standards Act. Oh, who joined MBC in 2021, had been receiving frequent ‘guidance and advice’ from senior colleagues. However, officials deemed these interactions as acts that crossed the line into harassment, overstepping what would be acceptable even in hierarchical organizations.

MBC, while expressing condolences to Oh’s family, declared that they consider the Ministry’s findings gravely serious. “We extend our deepest condolences to Oh Yo-anna and her family,” the network stated. “We will treat organizational culture reform, labor law compliance, and harassment prevention as our top management priorities going forward.”

Despite the action taken against one weathercaster, the broadcaster has yet to issue consequences for other individuals named by Oh’s family. The conflict escalated posthumously after Oh’s note—found on her phone—named two colleagues as consistent sources of bullying. The tragic circumstances of her death at the age of 28 in September last year highlighted severe issues in handling interpersonal dynamics in media organizations.

This case reignites ongoing discussions in South Korea and beyond about mental health, toxic workplace environments, and the duty of organizations to preemptively protect employees, especially in high-pressure, visible industries like broadcasting.