Korean Labor Ministry Launches Special Inspection at MBC Following Allegations of Workplace Harassment Related to Late Weathercaster Oh Yoanna

On February 11, 2025, the Ministry of Employment and Labor in South Korea initiated a special labor inspection at MBC in connection with allegations of workplace harassment involving the late weathercaster Oh Yoanna (고(故) 오요안나). The ministry announced that a special inspection team, formed in collaboration with the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office and the Seoul Western District Office, was dispatched to MBC that afternoon. The inspection aims to verify various facts surrounding the harassment allegations, assess the overall organizational culture, and check for violations of labor laws. The ministry explained that the decision was influenced by the family's refusal to participate in MBC's internal investigation, additional claims of victimization beyond the deceased, and a petition for special supervision from the labor union.

Unlike regular inspections that follow a predetermined schedule, special inspections are conducted in response to reported violations of labor laws, including workplace harassment. While general inspections review records from the past year, special inspections will examine records spanning three years.

Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo (김문수) emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the tragic death of the young individual and instructed that strict measures be taken against any legal violations.

Oh Yoanna began her career as a weathercaster at MBC in May 2021 under a freelance contract. Tragically, she took her own life in September of the previous year, leaving behind a note indicating that she had been subjected to harassment by another weathercaster, a fact that has recently come to light through media reports.