After decades of state control and heavy censorship, South Korea’s press in print and on television is experiencing a period of relative freedom. The repressive Basic Press Law was repealed in 1987, and the market for television has expanded dramatically since that time.
What is the most popular news source in South Korea?
The main 서울 실내데이트 is Chosun Ilbo, with a circulation of over 6.5 million. Its major competitor, Yonhap News Agency, has a circulation of nearly four million, and there are several other major daily newspapers as well as specialized economic papers.
A variety of Korean radio broadcasters operate in the country, including KBS Radio 1, KBS Radio 2, SBS Radio, and EBS Radio. Many radio stations specialize in traffic reporting, and provide hourly reports on road conditions in Korea.
In the 1980s, a major new player entered the scene: the anti-establishment Hankyoreh. Its founders included dissident journalists purged by the government in the 1970s or 1980, and the paper aimed to be independent of political power and large capital. The paper’s structure and approach reflected that intent, with a human rights department and a department to critique the ideological and political biases of other newspapers.
The internet has changed the media landscape significantly in South Korea, with a number of social networking sites becoming popular. Some of these are similar to Facebook, with users able to post their information and mood, and to follow other people. Other websites allow users to upload video, and have discussion forums. The popularity of these sites has increased along with the rise in use of smartphones, which have the ability to access such services.