Unification Media Group
Advancing Freedom of Information in North Korea
WHAT WE DO
Unification Media Group (UMG) is a news and entertainment production organization focused on North Korea.
Through video, radio, and online news, UMG brings the latest developments from North Korea to South Korean and international audiences in addition to North Koreans themselves.
UMG is helping to increase global awareness of North Korean issues and is arming the people of North Korea with the freedom of information.
NEWS
Unification Media Group is part of a consortium with DailyNK, an internet news site focusing on North Korea. DailyNK works together with sources inside and outside of North Korea to shine a light on events in North Korea, both large and small. DailyNK aims to provide the accurate and timely information needed for informed policy-making and a human-first understanding of North Korea. Since information controls and travel restrictions inside North Korea often make it difficult for residents to hear news from neighboring areas, UMG frequently uses DailyNK reporting to educate North Korean audiences about domestic events as well as international affairs.
RADIO
While radio has fallen out of favor in much of the world, radio remains the only way to provide North Korean residents with information in real-time. Moreover, since it does not leave behind physical evidence or require expensive technology, it is considered one of the safest and most accessible media platforms in the DPRK. Unification Media Group (UMG) has been broadcasting radio programming to North Korean audiences since 2005. Currently, UMG produces and broadcasts three hours of programming each day, including local and international news, civic education and cultural programs. According to a Gallup survey conducted in 2015, 2-3% of North Korean citizens said they have previously listened to UMG broadcasts. North Korean citizens can listen to UMG’s programming with short-wave radios, and overseas workers can listen to recordings uploaded daily to the UMG website.
VIDEO
While North Korea is in many ways a country stuck in the past, the media environment continues to rapidly involve and there is a growing appetite for digital media, especially video content. To meet this demand and to continue to diversify the information we can offer to North Korean audiences, UMG produces a variety of video content specifically tailored to suit the needs, interests, and sensibilities of North Korean residents. These videos are uploaded to UMG’s YouTube page where overseas workers with internet access can view them. While the closed nature of North Korea’s border makes it exceedingly difficult to bring content into the country, UMG aspires to work together with the tech community to explore the possibility of “third generation IT,” such as satellite TV, to bring content directly into North Korea.
RESEARCH
In recent years, Unification Media Group has taken advantage of its accumulated expertise to draft annual reports summarizing key trends in North Korea’s media environment. These reports are based on surveys of current residents of North Korea – not defectors – in order to assure accuracy in a rapidly changing environment. Summaries of the key findings are available in the “Research Room” tab [to be added] and full reports (Korean and English) are available upon request.
Polling consistently indicates that interest in Korean unification continues to decline among young South Koreans, with more and more young Koreans expressing a sense of disconnect with their neighbors to the north. UMG seeks to restore passion for unification by reminding Koreans of our shared history, culture, and family.
Radio is one of the only media accessible to Koreans on both sides of the 38th parallel. Through both live broadcasts and uploads to our website, we produce programming aimed at all members of the Korean community. Programming is designed to foster a sense of unity through shared experiences, such as friendly inter-Korean discussion of relatable everyday issues, popular music, and health and education content.
Our current media world revolves around video, so UMG produces a wide array of digital video content in addition to radio. Available through our YouTube channel to members of the Korean community across the globe, UMG’s videos aim to “put a face” to the abstract concept of unification. This includes videos highlighting our shared Korean culture and values, friendly discussions between North and South Koreans, and guest features with international guests and their views on why peace on the Korean peninsula is important to the broader international community.
In recent years, Unification Media Group has taken advantage of its accumulated expertise to draft annual reports summarizing key trends in North Korea’s media environment. These reports are based on surveys of current residents of North Korea – not defectors – in order to assure accuracy in a rapidly changing environment. Summaries of the key findings are available in the “Research Room” tab [to be added] and full reports (Korean and English) are available upon request.
OUR IMPACT
Our theory of change is simple and time-tested. Access to information is essential to self-advocacy, economic empowerment, and defense of human rights. Studies of post-Soviet Eastern Europe show that broadcasts like VOA played a critical role in demonstrating the higher quality of life in the democratic world and inspiring listeners to aspire to better lives for themselves. UMG carries on and adapts this tradition to serve North Korean audiences with the right mix of practical information, entertainment, civic education, and – most importantly – hope. Access to information is a right, but it is also the foundation of a democratic future. We believe that internally-motivated changes inside the country will yield dividends not only for North Koreans, but contribute significantly to lasting regional peace and development.
We believe in investing in the North Korean people. Will you invest in us?
