Here is a list of organizations that are broadcasting into the DPRK:
1. Open Radio for North Korea
2. Radio Free Asia
3. Voice of America
4. Social Education Broadcasting of KBS (schedule)
5. Radio Free North Korea (offical web site)
From Daily NK
Official statistics on the size of the DPRK audience that listens to foreign radio broadcasts are not available. The only way to get this information is to estimate based on the number of North Korean refugees who claim to have heard foreign radio broadcastings. Fortunately, a survey conducted by three broadcast companies who broadcast in North Korea- Radio Free Asia, Voice of America and the Social Education Broadcasting of KBS- shows the ratio of listeners among North Korean refugees.
This survey verifies that there are people who listen to foreign radio broadcasts, but the statistics were announced, not printed, and are unavailable. It is possible that the results are inflated.
However, a more reliable survey was recently released. The Korean Press Foundation conducted a survey of 319 North Korean refugees who made it to South Korea within the last two years. 304 respondents provided valid responses. Among these 304 respondents, 13 people, 4.27%, have listened to foreign short wave radio broadcasts and 34 people, 11.2%, have listened to the foreign medium wave radio. This is quite a significant proportion.
Considering the possibility that North Korean refugees had listened to the radio more often than other North Korean citizens, let’s assume that one percent of the North Korean population listens to foreign programs. Out of a total population of 20 million, it means that there are 200,000 listeners. We can’t say this is a small number.
Then how do North Koreans get radios?
The radios recently sold in North Korea are made in China. Most Chinese radios have a function to receive a short wave, since countries with a huge territory usually use short wave. By contrast, a country like South Korea with a small territory does not need to use short wave. FM or AM is enough. As a result, short wave radios are hard to find in South Korea.
Big countries such as Russia, China, and the US use short wave to send signals over long distances. Therefore, it is easy to find short wave radios in those markets. Short wave radios in China are currently flooding into North Korea.
