It has been confirmed that two former weathercasters, who were selected as key witnesses in the damages lawsuit regarding workplace harassment allegations involving the late MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna, failed to appear in court.
On the afternoon of the 18th, weathercaster Geum Chae-rim appeared as a witness for the plaintiff during the damages lawsuit filed by the bereaved family of Oh Yoanna at the Seoul Central District Court. The court accepted the witness's request for a closed-door hearing and ordered the proceedings to be held in private.
Citing the risk of "harming good public morals," the court ordered all spectators to leave the courtroom, and the witness examination proceeded with only the judges, the parties involved in the lawsuit, and their legal representatives present.
In contrast, weathercaster Lee Hyun-seung, who was also selected as a witness, submitted a statement of absence and did not appear in court, while it was reported that weathercaster Kim Ga-young did not attend as the special service of process could not be completed.
The trial also reportedly scheduled a witness examination for a producer from the MBC news department. This witness is considered a key figure who can provide insight into the work environment and internal company situation the deceased experienced during her lifetime.
The mother of the late Oh Yoanna was also present outside the courtroom. She could not hide her grief, and was seen shedding tears while speaking with acquaintances during the closed-door witness examination process.
This lawsuit is a 500 million KRW damages claim filed by the bereaved family of Oh Yoanna against a former colleague, weathercaster A, alleging that workplace harassment was a factor in the deceased's death.
Oh Yoanna passed away September 2024, at the age of 28. Following her death, her family filed the lawsuit at the Seoul Central District Court in late 2024, stating that they had confirmed circumstances of workplace harassment through the deceased's mobile phone, note, and personal records.
In October 2025, MBC issued an official apology to the bereaved family and held a public press conference that included an apology to the deceased, the awarding of an honorary employee ID, and a promise to implement measures to prevent recurrence. Additionally, MBC abolished its weathercaster system and introduced a meteorological expert system, resulting in the termination of all existing contracts with freelance weathercasters.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)