The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) has said it will launch television and radio song festivals alongside its 2012 General Assembly in Seoul next October.

Delegates at the ABU's 48th General Assembly, held in New Delhi on 7-8 November, were told that the radio event would be competitive while the television version would be more of a cultural celebration.

But project manager Kenny Kihyung Bae of South Korea's KBS said the two events might be merged into a single 'Asiavision Song Contest' - although an official name has yet to be decided.

A fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, Mr Bae intends to learn from the EBU how its iconic annual TV contest is put together. He said he plans to attend the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, Azerbaijan, and says the winner of that event could be invited to appear as a guest in Seoul.

If the Seoul event is successful, Mr Bae would be "very interested" in collaborating on a 'Global Song Contest'.