The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters.
The KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels and multiple Internet-exclusive services. Its flagship terrestrial television station KBS1 broadcasts on channel 9, while KBS1 sister channel KBS2, an entertainment oriented network, broadcasts on channel 7. KBS also operates the international service KBS World, which provides television, radio and online services in twelve different languages.
History
Early radio broadcasts
The KBS began as Gyeongseong Broadcasting Station (경성방송국, 京城放送局) with call sign JODK, established by the Governor-General of Korea on 16 February 1927. It became the in 1932. After Korea was liberated from Japanese rule at the end of World War II, this second radio station started using the call sign HLKA in 1947 after the US-occupied Korea was granted the ITU prefix HL. After doing a national broadcast, the radio was renamed Seoul Central Broadcasting Station in 1948.
1950s–1960s – Move into television
Television broadcasts in South Korea began on 12 May 1956 with the first television station HLKZ-TV. After financial difficulties, it was acquired by KBS in 1961.
1970s – Expansion
KBS station status changed from government to broadcasting station on 3 March 1973. Construction of KBS headquarters in Yeouido started in 1976. In 1979 KBS radio began broadcasting on the FM band with the launch of KBS Stereo (now KBS 1FM). Colour television began that year.
1980s – Advertising started after controversial merger
KBS began accepting advertising in 1980, differing from the norm of advert-free broadcasting by public broadcasters, after the forced merger of several private broadcasters into KBS by the military government of Chun Doo-hwan (see Controversies).
1990s – Spinoff of EBS
In 1981, KBS launched KBS 3TV and Educational FM and on 27 December 1990, the channels split from KBS to form the Educational Broadcasting System (EBS).
After a revision of the television licensing fee system in 1994, 1TV and Radio1 stopped broadcasting commercials.
2010s
After first broadcasting HD programmes in 2001, KBS completely transferred to digital broadcasting in 2012.
On 3 March 2013, computer shutdowns hit South Korean television stations including the KBS. The South Korean government asserted a North Korean link in the March cyberattacks, which has been denied by Pyongyang.
In 2013, KBS World Radio commemorated its 60th anniversary, and KBS World TV celebrated 10 years of its foundation.
In 2014, KBS World 24 was launched, mainly for Koreans abroad.
In 2015, KBS was honored to have its archives of the KBS Special Live Broadcast, Finding Dispersed Families, inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. This makes KBS only the world's second broadcaster to have a broadcast programme on the prestigious list.
The KBS network is dedicated to deliver the exclusive Special Live Broadcast, Finding Dispersed Families, via its primary channel, KBS1. KBS News served as the program's producer. The program made its premiere telecast on 10:15 pm KST on 30 June 1983. After more than 6 months, the special live programme ended at 4 am on 14 November 1983. This marks a total duration of 453 hours and 45 minutes of live broadcast over the period of 138 days, aired nationwide on KBS1. The whole live broadcast was recorded. The KBS's archives of Special Live Broadcast, Finding Dispersed Families include; 463 videotapes of the original recordings, and many kinds of associated materials, generated in the course of the extraordinary broadcast, such as the posters carrying the participating dispersed family members' capsule stories, cue sheets, programming schedules, radio recording materials, and related photographs. A total of 20,522 such assorted materials have been preserved in the archives. The program was the biggest public affairs program ever produced by KBS in the decade and was the first to tackle the issue of families separated because of the long Korean War (1950–1953), which garnered even international coverage.
In 2017, KBS launched the world's first terrestrial UHD broadcasting service.