This expansion includes the launch of a controversial Korean service aimed at people in North Korea, which is opposed by the North Korean government. Korean is one of 12 new BBC services being rolled out this year thanks to a £291 million (332 million euro, $393 million) grant from the British government, including broadcasts in Pidgin, Punjabi and Yoruba. James Harding, director of BBC news and current affairs, said the organisation was increasing pay for staff at World Service and Monitoring, which tracks news from other providers around the world for BBC staff, the UK government and commercial subscribers, after a review by the accountancy firm PwC found there were “some differences in pay for some groups of people”.
The BBC plans to launch a service in Korean.