3 channels · 1 channels on air now
South Korea has among the highest rates of internet access in the world, and that shapes news consumption fundamentally: a large share of readers take their news not from a newspaper or broadcaster directly but through portal sites and messaging applications. That has made South Korea one of the first large markets in which news distribution ran through platforms, and many of the world's arguments about this were had here earlier than elsewhere.
Public broadcasting is strong. KBS is the public broadcaster, funded by a receiving fee collected per household; MBC is a separate broadcaster operating within a public foundation structure. Political influence over the governance of both is an argument that resurfaces in South Korea with every change of government.
On the newspaper side a small number of large national dailies dominate, and their political lines are pronounced. The country's polarised politics is reflected directly in its media landscape.
One of the channels below broadcasts in English and carries the Korean agenda to an international audience — valuable for readers who want subjects such as relations with North Korea followed from the region itself.
South Korea · English
Arirang is South Korea's English-language international channel. Its remit is to explain Korea and the Korean agenda to an international audience, a function comparable to Germany's DW or Japan's NHK World.
Alongside bulletins, its schedule gives substantial space to Korean culture, language and society. For a reader who wants security developments on the peninsula and South Korean foreign policy in English, it is a direct source.
South Korea · Korean
KBS is South Korea's public broadcaster, funded by a receiving fee collected per household. Its news service is among the broadcasts reaching the widest audience in the country.
Political influence over its governance is a recurring argument in South Korea that resurfaces with every change of government, and readers are best placed watching aware that the debate exists.
The corporation also produces international output for Korean communities abroad.
South Korea · Korean · ● live
YTN launched in 1995 as South Korea's first rolling news channel. It introduced the continuous news format to the country and has held its position as a reference point in breaking news ever since.
Its coverage of North Korea is a distinct specialism: it has institutional expertise in assessing the limited information that comes across the border and in tracking missile tests and diplomatic developments. That makes it valuable for readers who want events on the Korean peninsula followed from the region.
It broadcasts in Korean.
Streams are shown from each broadcaster's own official YouTube channel through the YouTube player; the content and all rights belong to those broadcasters. Montegre does not broadcast or retransmit. Live news coverage may contain distressing footage.
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