[imText1]Free North Korea Broadcasting (Free NK) launched its radio program intended to promote North Korean democracy at midnight on the 7th of this month. The program lasts one hour a day. Free NK.net was founded by North Korean defectors in South Korea two years ago, and has been posting journalistic text and audio content on its web site. It is the first time that a nongovernmental broadcaster founded by North Korean defectors makes a program and beams it at North Korea by means of short wave radio.
The program has finally come to be launched a month after Free NK agreed with Ha Tae Kyung (Young Howard), the secretary-general of Open Radio for North Korea (NK Radio), through mutual cooperation last month. NK Radio specializes in transmitting programs to North Korea, and is located in the U.S.
The program is sent out on the air by means of a short wave transmitter because more and more North Koreans are obtaining short wave radios. Free NK uses short wave 5880kHz for the time being. The location of the transmitting station has not been disclosed lest North Korean authorities intervene in transmitting.
On the morning of the 6th day of this month, Free NK posted on its web site an article entitled ‘On the Establishment of the Radio Station.’ In the article, it was said that the radio station has been intended to reveal the realities of North Korea to South Korean people, to be an adviser and supporter who provides encouragement and new hope to North Korean people in the Dark Land, and to be an excellent guide for the defectors who enter South Korea for freedom at the risk of their lives.
Kim Sung Min, the chairperson of Free NK, said, “I am very glad to see the accomplishment of North Korean defectors’ old dream. The radio broadcasting will be a gospel to North Korean people and bad news to the dictator Kim Jong Il.”
“For the five days from the 7th of this month, we will have put a one-hour special program featuring the Seoul Summit on the air everyday as a joint project with NK Radio. We will make a one-act play based on the essay which won the Human Rights in North Korea Essay Contest. We will also broadcast major events and interviews with influences,” explained Mr. Kim.
“Once the news about the foundation of the radio station was spread, we have received a lot of phone calls, and been promised financial support from several people who don’t want to reveal their names. Workers in the radio station are insured for 100 million won against accidents, which means we are very dedicated. We will go as far as to liberate North Korea.” Mr. Kim expressed their strong resolution.
It has been said that Free NK was persistently asked to give up the radio broadcasting plan by some influential groups which had sensed it in advance, but it turned down all of such requests.
Radio broadcasters sending outside information to North Korea include Radio Free Asia’s Korean service, Voice Of America’s Korean broadcasting, Korea Broadcasting System’s Social and Educational program, and the Far East Broadcasting Corporation.
On the second day of the Seoul Summit, Ha Tae Kyung (Young Howard), the secretary-general of NK Radio in the U.S., will participate in the conference on the North Korean human rights improvement strategy where he is supposed to make a presentation about the role of radio broadcasting beamed at North Korea.
Mr. Ha said to the DailyNK in a telephone interview that he was going to talk about North Korean censorship and control of information, and the duties and roles of radio broadcasting to North Korea. He also mentioned that broadcasters to the North need much support and participation from various domestic and international individuals.
NK Radio is an agency specializing in transmitting programs to North Korea. Individuals or organizations can request it to transmit their programs to North Korea with payment for wiring. Mr. Ha emphasized that many South Koreans should participate in broadcasting to North Korea by means of NK Radio.
It has been known to be some place around the Seoul area where Free NK made its program and prepared its transmission.
