A number of Japanese and Korean toon and toy corporations have united to launch a new digital satellite animation channel, AniOneTV, for broadcast across Korea.

Japanese toy manufacturer Bandai and Daiwon C&A Holdings, the South Korean outfit who own the character licences to Pokemon, Digimon and Dragonball Z, have inked a deal to establish Daiwon Digital Broadcasting.

The company has also attracted investment from four other Japanese animation studios, namely Toei Animation, Shogakukan Productions, Tokyo Movie Shinsa Entertainment and Sunrise, alongside Bandai's Korean subsidiary.

Investment for the venture runs at 5bn won ($4.2m), with two-thirds coming from Daiwon C&A Holdings, Gina World (Korea) and Bandai Korea, with the other Japanese companies supplying the remaining 33%.

DDB, which will be carried by Korean satellite broadcaster Skylife, will commence full-scale broadcasting in December 2001. AniOneTV will broadcast new animation and classics as well as amateur toons in an effort to appeal to mainstream fans and aficionados.