Witness Attendance Mixed in Trial Over Late Weathercaster Oh Yo-anna; Colleague Geum Chae-rim Testifies Behind Closed Doors

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 former MBC weathercaster Oh Yo-anna, did not appear in court.

On the afternoon of June 18, weathercaster Geum Chae-rim appeared as a witness for the plaintiff in the damages lawsuit filed by the bereaved family of Oh Yo-anna at the Seoul Central District Court. The court accepted the witness's request for a closed-door hearing and decided to proceed in private.

Citing concerns that the testimony could "harm public morals," the court ordered spectators to leave the courtroom, and the witness examination proceeded with only the judges, the parties to the lawsuit, and their legal representatives present.

On the other hand, weathercaster Lee Hyun-seung, who was also selected as a witness, submitted a statement of absence and did not appear in court, while weathercaster Kim Ga-young reportedly did not attend as the special service of process was not completed.

It is known that a witness examination for a producer (PD) from the MBC newsroom was also scheduled for the trial that day. This witness is considered to be someone who can explain the work environment and internal company situation that the deceased experienced while alive.

The mother of the late Oh Yo-anna was also present outside the courtroom. Ms. Jang could not hide her somber expression and was seen shedding tears while talking with acquaintances as the closed-door witness examination took place.

This lawsuit is a 500 million won damages claim filed by the bereaved family of Oh Yo-anna against a fellow weathercaster, identified as 'A', alleging that workplace harassment was behind the deceased's death.

Oh Yo-anna passed away last September at the age of 28. Following her death, the bereaved family filed the lawsuit at the Seoul Central District Court at the end of 2024, stating that they had confirmed circumstances of workplace harassment through the deceased's mobile phone, suicide note, and records from her lifetime.

MBC issued an official apology to the bereaved family in October 2025 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 weather and climate expert system, ending all contracts with existing freelance weathercasters.



(Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon, SBS Entertainment News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.