The Ministry of Employment and Labor has completed its investigation into the tragic case of Oh Yoanna, a freelance weathercaster who passed away in September 2024, and concluded that she was indeed subjected to workplace bullying—a rare acknowledgment, given her non-employee status.

According to an SBS report on May 17, the Ministry finalized a three-month special labor inspection into MBC, the broadcaster where Oh Yoanna had worked before her death. While the Ministry ruled that she could not be classified as a “worker” under the Labor Standards Act, it still made an exception in recognizing that she was a victim of workplace harassment.

This decision is particularly unusual. Normally, the Ministry refrains from assessing bullying claims if the individual is not considered a formal employee. In Oh’s case, the Ministry noted that weathercasters often operate as freelancers or agency-affiliated talents, working across multiple media outlets, disqualifying them from standard labor protections.

However, the Ministry’s final assessment confirmed that bullying did occur in her workplace environment. This development supports allegations raised by Oh Yoanna’s family, who have maintained that she suffered sustained mistreatment at MBC. Four fellow weathercasters were named as alleged perpetrators following her death.

Currently, Oh Yoanna’s family is pursuing a civil lawsuit against one of the individuals implicated in the harassment. Her passing and the subsequent revelations have sparked ongoing conversations in South Korea about labor protections for freelancers, especially those working in media and broadcasting.