Far East Broadcasting Company-Korea Celebrates 70 Years of Gospel Outreach

The Far East Broadcasting Company-Korea (FEBC-Korea) is commemorating its 70th anniversary with a series of events scheduled through December. Founded in 1956 by American missionary Tom Watson, the network began as the Korea Evangelical Broadcasting Station in Incheon before relocating to Seoul. Today, the organization operates 15 stations across South Korea.

Central to the broadcaster's history is the "Northern Mission," an initiative focused on reaching North Korea, China, Russia, and Mongolia during the Cold War. By utilizing AM signals that travel further at night, the network has broadcast sermons and hymns to regions where traditional missionary work was restricted. FEBC-Korea reports that defectors have confirmed that many North Koreans listened to these broadcasts in secret.

Following China's economic reforms in the late 1970s, the station received significant correspondence from listeners abroad, including ethnic Koreans in China and residents of Siberia. As it marks this milestone, the organization describes its ongoing mission as a commitment to fostering the spiritual and peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula.