MUMBAI: Action oriented broadcaster AXN from Sony Pictures Television International's (SPTI) stable will launch a dedicated, 24-hour service for Korea in July 2005.

With the launch of AXN in Korea, AXN expands its reach to more than 76 million Asian households across 23 Asian countries, including its branded daypart programming in China.

AXN is the first international general entertainment channel approved for retransmission by the Korean Broadcasting Commission. AXN will be carried in SkyLife's MoviePlus package (Channel 333), initially reaching more than one million Korean viewers.

SPTI senior executive VP International Networks Andy Kaplan said, "Sony Pictures Television International has built an enviably successful portfolio of channels worldwide and it's extremely gratifying to see that our strategy of launching AXN in markets where audiences looking for action adventure entertainment are underserved has resulted in such dramatic expansion. We are honoured to enter the Korean market on the SkyLife platform."

SPTI senior VP, MD Asia Todd Miller said, "AXN's unique programming has allowed it to grow dramatically in the past few years, and we're confident that on the SkyLife platform, we'll be able to serve an audience that has a proven penchant for action adventure entertainment."

SkyLife Contents Management Team director Sung-gil Moon said, "As a leading digital satellite broadcasting company in Korea, we are very pleased to have such a high-quality channel as AXN on SkyLife, and we expect AXN to play an affirmative role in the Korean broadcasting industry."