The BBC Korean language service started broadcasting today (Korea time / 4:30pm UK time yesterday). According to the press release,
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 which can be downloaded and shared. The new service features 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.
The news service’s website promises eclectic coverage: an early front page featured stories ranging from coverage of Ban Ki-moon to a Facebook video of someone trainsurfing at 110km/h in Scotland.
An early report on NKNews.org indicated that North Korea was blocking the service:
The BBC gives the following broadcast information:
- 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)
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