MBC's late meteorologist Oh Yoanna case, colleague denies workplace bullying "We had a good relationship"

In the first hearing of the case of late MBC meteorologist Oh Yoanna, who passed away last September, the colleague identified as the perpetrator denied all allegations of bullying.

On the 22nd, the Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 48 (Chief Judge Baek Do-kyun) held the first hearing for the damages lawsuit filed by Oh's family against A. During this hearing, both sides sharply opposed each other regarding workplace bullying and the cause of death.

A's legal representative strongly rebutted, stating, "A has never bullied Oh at work, and claiming that Oh died due to A's actions distorts the facts."

Furthermore, they argued, "Until her death, Oh had a good relationship with A, and considering that Oh was struggling due to personal issues and online hate comments, it is difficult to acknowledge a causal relationship between her death and A."

In response, Oh's family countered, saying, "While there may have been some seemingly good conversations between the two, the fact remains that A bullied Oh and that Oh complained of mental suffering."

The family emphasized, "The friendly conversations were merely to avoid upsetting a superior at work and cannot be seen as evidence of a good relationship."

Earlier in May, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced the results of a special labor inspection against MBC, stating that there was workplace bullying against Oh. However, they concluded that since Oh was not recognized as an employee, it was impossible to punish MBC officials for violations of the Labor Standards Act.

A's legal representative referenced this point, explaining, "The main argument is that there was bullying from A that contributed to Oh's death." They further stated, "We filed a claim citing workplace bullying as the cause, assuming Oh's employee status is recognized, but due to supplementary issues regarding her status, we are considering the possibility of adding a claim for general bullying-related death in the future."

A's side rebutted by saying, "The family’s claims do not consider the relationship between Oh and A, the nature of their actions, the context of the situation at the time, and only selectively edit parts of their conversations."

The court decided to hold another hearing on September 23 for A's rebuttal submission and the additional evidence submission from Oh's family.

Image source: Late meteorologist Oh Yoanna / Instagram 'ohyoanna'