Digital Broadcasting to All Metropolitan Areas

From the end of October, A transmitting station of Mt. Namsan will transmit a digital broadcasting and so a high definition (HD) digital broadcasting will be sent to all metropolitan areas.

The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) announced on September 9, that it would install the digital broadcasting sending facility in Mt. Namsan transmitting station and expand the programming rates of digital TV to all metropolitan areas. The sending channels of the transmitting station of existing Mt. Yongmunsan will increase to 4 broadcastings from 2 broadcastings (KBS1 SBS).

The MIC said that PSB Broadcasting started the digital HD broadcasting at the end of last month and so the digital broadcasting has been expanded to major regional areas such as Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan and Busan except metropolitan areas.

PSB Broadcasting, TJB Broadcasting and KJB Broadcasting have been broadcasting the HD program of SBS through optics cable and television broadcasting directly. Ulsan broadcasting has been changing an analog screen into HD signal. By using the transmitting channel of said cities, HD broadcasting can be seen in the neighboring areas such as Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan and Busan. PSB Broadcasting and KJB Broadcasting have been using the channel no. 16 for the digital broadcasting. Also, TJB Broadcasting and Ulsan Broadcasting have been using the channel No. 15 and the channel No. 32 for the digital broadcasting respectively.

The MIC plans to extend the transmitting areas gradually up to 2005 in order for residents of si and gun to see the digital broadcasting. The television broadcastings such as KBS, MBC and SBS will produce and broadcast the digital HD programs for opening and closing ceremony of Busan Asian Games and major games.

Tae-Han Kim freewill@donga.com