Death of MBC weathercaster sparks calls for better working conditions for freelancers

By Lee Hae-rin

The death of MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna, along with an ongoing investigation into workplace bullying allegations related to her case, have sparked increased calls for better working conditions for freelancers.

Oh died in September last year, although the cause of death was not disclosed at the time. A former K-pop idol trainee, she joined MBC as a freelance weathercaster in 2021, where she presented both weekday and weekend weather reports.

“Although it is late, I hope the truth surrounding Oh Yoanna’s death will be revealed without any injustice,” Ahn Gwi-ryeong, a spokesperson for the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said Monday.

She urged MBC, which launched an internal investigation into Oh’s case last week, to “not turn away from the unspeakable pain of freelance workers” and emphasized the need to abolish unlawful hiring practices.

“We urge broadcasters, including MBC, to improve their abnormal and illegal employment structure,” she said, “We should take this opportunity to fundamentally look into the practice of hiring nonregular workers that is prevalent among broadcasters.”

DPK Rep. Lee So-young criticized the unfair hiring practices for freelancers among broadcasting companies, referencing MBC’s unjust dismissals of freelance news writers in 2019 and 2020.

“If a public broadcaster continues to exploit such employment practices without self-reflection, it will be difficult for the news from that broadcaster to gain public trust,” she said.

The ruling People Power Party’s (PPP) lawmakers also denounced such hiring practices, saying that the Ministry of Employment and Labor, not MBC, should investigate Oh’s case.

“This case encompasses the nation’s labor issues, including irregular workers, discrimination against contract workers, workplace bullying, industrial accidents, violations of the law on the punishment of serious disasters, alleged cover-up by MBC and secondary abuse of bereaved families,” PPP Rep. Joo Jin-Woo said on social media on Monday, urging the labor ministry to begin overseeing the investigation.

Another PPP representative, Yoon Sang-hyun, also said Sunday, “It is questionable whether MBC, which belatedly launched the investigation in response to growing criticism after four months of inaction, is willing to thoroughly investigate the matter and find out the truth of the case.”

The Mapo Police Station in Seoul launched a preliminary investigation on Friday, responding to an online complaint regarding Oh’s case, according to the police on Monday.

Meanwhile, a recent survey found that one in four office workers in Korea have worked under freelancing contracts, with two-thirds of them having been employed under illegal contracts.

According to a survey conducted by the civic labor advocacy group Gapjil 119, which polled 1,000 office workers from Dec. 2 to Dec. 11, 27.4 percent of the respondents reported having signed unlawful freelancing contracts while seeking employment.

Over half, or 57 percent, said they have experienced disadvantages regarding minimum wage and the four major insurance benefits, while 46.9 percent said they have never received compensation for such losses.

Notably, 44.9 percent said they were unaware that freelance workers cannot be protected under the Labor Standards Act and file complaints regarding workplace bullying.

“All laborers, regardless of their employment types and conditions, should be protected by basic labor laws in their rights to unionize and be protected from unfair treatments, discriminations [and] workplace bullying,” the group’s policy team leader and lawyer Kwon Doo-seop said.

The group also highlighted the need for Korea to ratify the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Violence and Harassment Convention, which recognizes the right of everyone, including freelancers, to work free from violence and harassment.

“The government and the rival parties should ratify ILO Convention No. 190 and revise the anti-bullying law in the workplace to apply it to all workers,” Kwon said.

As of March, 46 nations have ratified the convention, including Zambia, the latest to join this January.