MBC announced the abolition of the freelance weathercaster system, and the family of the late Oh Yo‑anna protested.
On the 15th MBC said in an official statement, "It is the first anniversary of the late Oh Yo‑anna. MBC prays for the deceased and offers deep condolences to the bereaved family," adding, "MBC will abolish the freelance weathercaster system and introduce a 'weather and climate expert' system to hire them as regular employees."
Earlier, the late Oh Yo‑anna's mother on the 8th held a press conference in front of MBC's new building in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul with a total of 44 organizations including broadcasting and press unions, demanding MBC's public apology and measures to prevent recurrence, and began a hunger strike protest.
The late Oh Yo‑anna had worked as an MBC weathercaster since 2021 but died on Sept. 15, 2023. According to the bereaved family, the late Oh Yo‑anna left 17 suicide notes claiming workplace bullying, after which the real names of individuals presumed to be perpetrators spread and caused a stir. The Ministry of Employment and Labor conducted a special labor inspection of MBC and concluded that while the late Oh Yo‑anna did not qualify as a worker under the Labor Standards Act, there were acts that could be seen as harassment.
Afterward, MBC said it would take action against those involved and improve the overall organizational culture, and terminated the contract with weathercaster A, who was mentioned as the main perpetrator. However, there was backlash because MBC renewed contracts with three others who had been identified as perpetrators. Meanwhile, the bereaved family of the late Oh Yo‑anna filed a damage claim lawsuit of 510 million won against A, and the trial is ongoing.
Jin Jae‑yeon, executive director of the media nonregular workers' labor rights group Ending Credit, said at a press conference, "On July 30 the bereaved family met with MBC President Ahn Young‑joon. On Aug. 22 the bereaved family, Workplace Bullying 119 and Ending Credit met with MBC. There they demanded a public apology, measures to prevent recurrence, regularization of weathercasters, and a full survey of MBC's nonregular freelancers. But MBC has not shown a sincere will to resolve the issue so far," and appealed, "Please join the fight to reform the system that produces and discriminates against nonregular workers so this never happens again at MBC."
In particular, the late Oh Yo‑anna's mother said in anger, "When I think of the seniors who drove Yo‑anna to death and MBC's actions, it was too horrific. I was despairing at their brazen and mean behavior. I learned that they make broadcasts by sucking the blood and grinding the bones of young women. Our Yo‑anna wanted to live so much. She struggled and fought so hard to live and to work; I don't know how much she tried. I told her to quit, but she said she had a dream and would see it through. That child took her own life. Yet no one takes responsibility. After Yo‑anna died, MBC didn't even publish an obituary and pretended not to know, and it did not disclose the results of its own investigation."
She cried, "I met with MBC twice to deliver demands and request problem resolution, but there was no sincerity and no will to solve it. They looked at me with eyes that wounded my pride. I cannot forgive MBC. One life is a universe. Yet MBC treats people who worked for years as freelancers, as nonregulars, like less than insects. Through this fight I learned that I thought only Yo‑anna suffered, but many young people in the broadcast media industry have suffered like our Yo‑anna. Every day is so painful and I miss my daughter. I don't know how to live; I feel so lost and frustrated. Please help. I want the problem solved before the first anniversary and for us to work together so this tragedy doesn't happen again at MBC. I want to clear Yo‑anna's injustice and become a proud mother."
Meanwhile, on the first anniversary of the late Oh Yo‑anna, MBC announced the abolition of the freelance weathercaster system. It added, "The newly established 'weather and climate expert' will take on not only the roles of existing weathercasters but also reporting, appearances, and content production to deliver professional weather and climate information to viewers," and explained, "The 'weather and climate experts' are expected to be selected through a public recruitment at the end of this year or early next year."
It said, "Eligibility will be majors or certificate holders related to weather/climate/environment or those with more than five years of experience in related industries, and existing freelance weathercasters may also apply. To ensure the fairness of the 'weather and climate expert' hiring, we will disclose future hiring schedules and methods," and added, "If consent is reached between civil litigation parties, MBC will disclose the results of the truth‑finding committee's investigation."
In response to MBC's decision, the bereaved family of the late Oh Yo‑anna, Ending Credit and Workplace Bullying 119 immediately issued a joint statement protesting. They said, "MBC's announcement means it does not recognize the worker status of the late Oh Yo‑anna at all. Above all, it means current working weathercasters could be fired if they fail a public recruitment competition," and criticized, "The mother fasted to push for the regularization of weathercasters to prevent a second Yo‑anna, but the result is that a colleague would be fired from MBC."
They added, "When Ahn Hyung‑joon, MBC president, and MBC management visited the protest site today they did not say a word, but issued a press release timed to coincide with the memorial service held by civic groups," and fumed, "This thoroughly ignores and deceives the bereaved family and civil society and tramples the minimum courtesy due to humans." They demanded immediate acceptance of the bereaved family's requests, ▲official apology and statement of measures to prevent recurrence ▲restoration of honor and proper treatment ▲improvement of nonregular employment structure and working conditions ▲disclosure of MBC's own investigation results.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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