Published:  00:00 Tuesday - July 15, 2008

The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Korean Broadcasting System on July 14 launched the first channel offering Vietnamese programmes with Korean subtitles.

The channel, coordinated by KBS Korean Promotion Institute, Korea Telecom (KT) and Vietnam Television (VTV), is a component of a project “For a multicultural society” sponsored by the RoK government.

Vietnam Television will provide KBS with programmes broadcast on its VTV4 channel, while KBS is responsible for adding subtitles in Korean. In the future, KBS will offer programmes dubbed in Vietnamese.

The channel will also begin with broadcasting language learning programmes for Vietnamese viewers through KT MegaTV service, an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV).

Under the project, the RoK government will help offer free services to Vietnamese households in the first year. Households will also receive maximum assistance in following years.

Addressing the opening ceremony, KT representative said the RoK and Vietnam will become closer with the launch of the channel.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK, Pham Tien Van, said the channel will contribute to strengthening Vietnam-RoK ties, which are naturally dynamic and effective. He said the channel will actively help overseas Vietnamese in the RoK overcome difficulties relating to language and culture, as well as better integrate into RoK society.
Statistics show there are more than 70,000 Vietnamese living or working in the RoK, more than 20,000 are Vietnamese brides.