Founded in 1980 through the merger of existing media outlets like Hapdong News Agency and Orient Press, Yonhap News Agency came into being to offer a powerful, unified approach to the South Korean news scene. The idea sparked during a massive restructuring of the country's media landscape, when leaders decided to consolidate multiple competing newsrooms to create one centralized national wire service that could efficiently report on domestic issues and represent the nation globally. The agency continues to operate today and is collectively owned by major South Korean television networks, radio stations, and newspapers, under the supervision of the Korea News Agency Commission. Today, Yonhap News Agency is run by a massive network of domestic and international journalists and is mainly focused on comprehensive national and global reporting. They're based in Seoul, South Korea, and have made a name for themselves among readers worldwide looking for the most up-to-date happenings in South Korean politics, global business, major sports events, the booming K-pop and entertainment industry, and inter-Korean affairs. One interesting fact: A unique fact about Yonhap News Agency is its incredible, specialized focus on its northern neighbor. Because of the highly isolated nature of North Korea, Yonhap operates a dedicated monitoring department that actually uses special equipment to intercept, translate, and analyze secretive North Korean state media and radio broadcasts, providing the rest of the world with rare and crucial updates about the closed-off country!