BBC plans to launch station for North Korea

The BBC is planning to start broadcasting within North Korea through shortwave radio to sidestep the country’s laws against foreign media broadcasts, according to International Business Times.

This comes as small radios are entering the country from borders with China and South Korea through a flourishing black market even as internet access and satellite television are mostly unavailable.

The British broadcaster would join the South Korea-backed KBS and the U.S.-supported Radio Free Asia and Voice of America if it were to start broadcasting content in North Korea.

A BBC representative told the Telegraph that the planning is still in its early stages, saying: “One of the World Service’s key principles is to serve audiences in countries lacking media freedom. We are considering if we can develop a viable news service for the people of North Korea, although there are significant barriers.”

According to the Telegraph, an early BBC proposal led to concern among U.K. officials, who feared it could jeopardize Britain’s diplomatic mission in Pyongyang, but they agreed after reported pressure by the upper chamber of the U.K. parliament.

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