The KBS began as Gyeongseong Broadcasting Station (경성방송국; 京城放送局) with call sign JODK, established by the Governor-General of Korea on 16 February 1927.

The KBS network delivered the exclusive Special Live Broadcast, Finding Dispersed Families, via its primary channel, KBS1.

The KBS's archives of Special Live Broadcast, Finding Dispersed Families include; 463 videotapes of the original recordings, and many associated materials, generated in the course of the broadcast, such as the posters carrying the participating dispersed family members' capsule stories, cue sheets, programming schedules, radio recording materials, and related photographs.

Also, KBS World TV delivered Live Coverage of April 2018 Inter-Korean summit with English subtitles for its audiences across 117 countries worldwide.

To be headed by President and CEO of KBS, the renewed system allowed the use of maximum resources of the organization under emergency circumstances.

Under the reform, KBS focused on: swift and efficient emergency broadcast and coverage; delivering essential information in innovative ways with the ultimate aim to minimise losses and damage; and strengthening its digital platforms to better serve wide-ranging audience groups.

KBS is an independently managed public corporation (공사; 公社) funded by the South Korean government and license fees.

Around 49% of KBS's revenue comes from a mandatory television licence fee of 2,500 won, on top of 18.7% from commercial advertisement sales.

However, both channels reportedly continued to be unofficially broadcast in analogue via UHF, presumably near the DMZ, albeit using the SECAM D/K standard.

The new division aims to bring outstanding dramas and entertainment programming by boosting creative nature of the production function, and minimizing its decision-making process.

Local Stations Management was reorganized to be supervised under KBS Executive Vice President, in response to a growing demand for greater regional autonomy.

Although they shared programming, each station was privately owned (similar to the UK ITV network before the passing of the Broadcasting Act 1990).

However, 15 years after the end of national broadcasts, Park Myeong-su's Radio Show aired on local KBS Happy FM stations in Busan, Changwon, Cheongju, Daejeon and Jeju starting April 2016 (in June 2019 the program aired in the Gangwon-do region) due to its popularity and virality on SNS (social media sites).

In 2004, all 3 major broadcasting stations, KBS, MBC and SBS, agreed to prohibit smoking scenes being aired before midnight.

The scene was a hidden prank of Kang Ho-dong and Kim C getting into an argument to fool the new director who had joined the show.

[28] Sohn said, "We believe the firm bugged the meeting to secure information about our party's handling of the TV subscription policy.

"[citation needed] The Grand National Party initially sought to put a bill concerning the TV subscription charge to a vote.

The National Assembly's subcommittee on culture, tourism, broadcasting and communication, was scheduled to deliberate on 28 June 2011, but the meeting was cancelled due to the Democrats' protest.

Bak Han-yong (박한용), head of the Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities, criticised KBS for censoring negative remarks from a documentary about Chinilpa individuals, and Rhee Syngman, who had pardoned them.

[30] On 16 January 2012, a dispute broke out between KBS and the Korea Cable TV Association (KCTA) over carriage fees.

KCTA sought to reduce fees from major national networks for carrying their feeds through subscription providers.

[32] Following the blackout, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) ordered the TV providers to resume distributing the channel or face a hefty fine.

[33] Journalists working for KBS (along with MBC, SBS and YTN) protested against journalism practices that favored the Lee Myung-bak government.

[37] Global Youth League DN filed an injunction at Seoul Central District Court against KBS for using the name "Lee Soon-shin" in the title of the drama.

The injunction requested KBS to (1) immediately stop the broadcast; (2) remove "Lee Soon-shin" from the title; and (3) change the name of one of its characters.

The group claimed that historical figure Lee Soon-shin (or Yi Sun-sin), an admiral famed for his victories against the Japanese Navy in the Imjin War during the Joseon period, is an official national symbol whose status will "deteriorate" when associated with the "weak and clumsy" protagonist that lead actress IU plays.

[42][43] In early May 2014, Gil Hwan-young removed the KBS news chief after alleged improper remarks over the sinking of the ferry Sewol.

The majority vote decision was sent to be approved by the country's president Park Geun-hye, who has the power to appoint the broadcaster's head.

[54][55][56] KBS union struck on 4 September, due to allegedly influencing news coverage in favor of former president Park Geun-hye's administration.

After 141 days, the strike ended when the board of directors approved the dismissal of KBS president Ko Dae-young.