The BBC World Service’s new Korean language service – first announced in November 2016 – began broadcasting this week, allowing audiences in the Korean peninsula and Korean speakers around the world to hear radio broadcasts and access the latest news online at BBC.com/Korean.
The service is one of 12 new language launches now underway as part of the biggest expansion of the BBC World Service since the 1940s, funded through a £291 million grant in aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Director of the BBC World Service Francesca Unsworth says: “BBC News Korean will build on the long-standing reputation for fairness and impartiality the BBC World Service has earned all over the world.”
BBC News Korean features a daily 30-minute radio news programme broadcast at 15.30 GMT on Shortwave (SW) and 16.30 GMT Medium wave (MW).
The service will also feature a digital offer with written stories, videos and radio programmes featuring a wide range of news, sport, business, culture, in-depth reports and English language learning.
BBC News Korean journalists will be based in Seoul, London and Washington and will draw on the full extent of the BBC’s global network of correspondents.
Transmission details:
- Shortwave service to broadcast for three hours, 15.30 – 18.30 GMT (0030 – 0330 GMT local time Seoul; 00.00 – 03.00 local time, PYT)
- Shortwave service to broadcast for three hours, 15.30 – 18.30 GMT (0030 – 0330 GMT local time Seoul; 00.00 – 03.00 local time, PYT)
- Medium wave service transmission for 1 hour 16.30 – 17.30 GMT (0130-0230 local time Seoul; 01.00 – 02.00 local time, PYT)
- All transmissions to be 7 days a week Medium wave (MW) Frequency: 1431KHz Shortwave (SW) Frequencies: 5810 kHz & 9940 kHz (from launch to 28 October 2017) then; 5810 kHz & 5830 kHz (from 29 October 2017 to 24 March 2018)
