Radio Free Asia (RFA), which had largely suspended operations due to budget cuts by President Donald Trump, has decided to resume its broadcasts targeting North Korea.
According to Reuters, Rohit Mahajan, RFA’s Chief Communications Officer (CCO), announced on January 15 that they plan to begin producing digital content in Korean for North Korea later next week, with radio programs to follow.
He explained that content production will primarily involve four reporters based in Seoul, and the radio program is currently slated to air once a week.
Mahajan stated that RFA’s management made the decision to resume services based on their current resources, emphasizing the crucial role of uncensored reporting at a time when reliable information sources are extremely scarce for North Korean citizens.
RFA has also recently resumed producing content in Chinese and Burmese, and plans to restart services in Uyghur, Tibetan, and Cantonese within China.
RFA operates with funding from the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), supporting approximately 60 languages and providing news to countries lacking free press due to government censorship and propaganda.
However, after President Trump signed an executive order last March aimed at further reducing federal bureaucracy, USAGM notified RFA that federal grant payments would cease and demanded an immediate return of all funds.
This move drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, leading to bipartisan agreement to allocate 643 million USD to USAGM in this year’s budget proposal. This budget plan still needs to clear Congress and requires the President’s signature.
Mahajan explained that before USAGM illegally suspended the grants, 50 employees managed the Korean service, with about 37 working in Washington, D.C., and 12 in Seoul.
He highlighted that, despite layoffs and unpaid leave reducing the editorial staff by over 90%, RFA continues to fulfill Congress’s directive to provide accurate and timely news within its coverage area.
Mahajan added that RFA had to pay severance to laid-off employees, and the remaining funds were set aside to maintain the organization and avoid bankruptcy.