Samsung Electronics said on Wednesday it has been selected for a seventh straight year as a supplier for the Broadcasting and Media Communications Commission's programme to provide free TVs for the visually and hearing impaired.

The programme distributes TVs with specialized functions to improve disabled people's access to broadcast information. The Viewer Media Foundation, an affiliate under the commission, selects recipients among applicants based on priority.

Samsung plans to supply 35,000 43-inch full HD smart TVs sequentially from late this month through year-end. TVs will be provided free to low-income visually and hearing-impaired people, while other recipients must pay 100,000 won.

This year's models include a black-and-white screen function for viewers with color weakness or color blindness and a "C-Colorus mode" that allows adjustment of red, green and blue. They also apply an AI-based automatic sign-language position search function. The TVs move subtitle positions to prevent overlap with the sign-language window and enlarge specific areas of the screen to help viewers with low vision.

For visually impaired users, the TVs provide voice guidance for operation menus, voice speed, pitch and gender controls, and a high-contrast screen function. For hearing-impaired users, they support separated subtitles and subtitle position and size controls, as well as multi-output sound functions.

Oh Chi-oh (오치오), a vice president at Samsung Electronics' Korea business, said, "We see it as our responsibility to create an environment where anyone can enjoy content on TV without constraints, and we are working to develop accessibility technologies."

Applications can be made at a local community service center with jurisdiction over the applicant's address or on the programme's dedicated website for TVs for the visually and hearing impaired.