South Korea says that it plans to allow North Korean television, newspapers and other media. North Korean media has been banned in South Korea for many decades because the two countries are rivals. South Korea wants to improve its relationship with North Korea
Since 1948, North Korea and South Korea have been divided. Neither country allows their citizens to visit the other country. Both countries also ban telephone calls, emails, letters, websites, TV stations and other media from each other.
A report from South Korea’s Unification Ministry to the new president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, said that it will slowly allow broadcasts and other types of media from North Korea. The ministry wants to improve the understanding between the two Koreas and prepare for a future unification.
The ministry also hopes that North Korea will allow South Korean media in their country. The ministry didn’t give more information because all other plans are not decided yet. Many say that It’s unlikely that North Korea will allow South Korean media.
North Korea has been ruled by the Kim family since 1948. The country doesn’t allow outside information or media. Some North Koreans who ran away to South Korea said that they sometimes watched illegal TV shows from South Korea.
There are many songs, movies and other types of content from North Korea on YouTube which South Koreans can access with VPN (virtual private networks). South Korea does not strictly control that.
VOCABULARY
- Allow – permit; let; to give permission; OK
- Ban – forbid; prohibit; don’t allow; to stop
- Decade – 10 years; a 10 year period
- Rival – challenger; opponent; enemy; opposition
- Citizen – a national; the person of a country
- Unification – the process of merging; the action of coming together; to join
- Ministry – a department of a government (education ministry, health ministry, etc.)
- Broadcast – a radio or TV show; a program on radio or TV
- Rule – to have power over; to control; to be in control of
- Run away – to leave your home behind; to go to a new place and never go home; flee
- Strictly – strong rule; severe; harsh; no flexibility; exact
Original Story from ABC News below:
