Shortly before launching the ABU Song Festival, the ABU had been considering the possibility to organize the "ABU ASEAN TV Song Festival" in Thailand. Historically, ASEAN song contests had been organized in periods between 1981 and 1997, however since 2011 the ASEAN Festival had been organized between local Radio stations as "Bintang Radio ASEAN". In November 2011, the ABU announced that they would organize its own TV and Radio Song Festivals to take place in Seoul, the South Korean capital, in time with 49th General Assembly in October 2012. The name "Asiavision Song Contest" was initially mentioned as a possibility, but they were later officially titled "ABU TV Song Festival" and "ABU Radio Song Festival". According to the ABU, the deadline for participation applications for ABU TV Song Festival was 18 May 2012. Seoul, officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world. The Seoul National Capital Area is the world's second largest metropolitan area with over 25 million inhabitants, which includes the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province. Almost a quarter of South Koreans live in Seoul, half of South Koreans live in the metropolitan area, along with over 275,000 international residents. Located on the Han River, Seoul has been a major settlement for over 2,000 years, with its foundation dating back to 18 B.C. when Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, established its capital in what is now south-east Seoul. It continued as the capital of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty and the Korean Empire. The Seoul National Capital Area is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeokgung, Hwaseong Fortress, Jongmyo Shrine and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) was the host broadcaster for the first edition of the annual TV Song Festival, which was staged in the KBS Concert Hall. The host broadcaster offered to cover costs for staging the show as well as the accommodation for the participants of ABU TV Song Festival. Unlike the format used in the Eurovision Song Contest there are two versions of the ABU Song Festival. The ABU Radio Song Festival 2012 and the ABU TV Song Festival 2012, which were both scheduled to take place between 11 and 17 October 2012 during the 49th ABU General Assembly.