(Photo: KBS)

Comedian Kim Shin-young is to take over as host of KBS’s long-running National Singing Contest, the Korean public broadcaster has announced.

She succeeds the late emcee Song Hae, who hosted the show for 34 years and died in June at the age of 95.

Kim (pictured on the right), who is 39, will take over on 16 October, The Korea Times reports. She said becoming host was an honour to her family.

“When I was young, I used to hear the opening music of the show every Sunday. I grew up with the show and now (as I become the host) it’s so touching,” she said in an interview released by KBS on YouTube.

She has appeared in numerous comedy and entertainment programmes as well as hosting a radio how on MBC, Kim Shin-young’s Noon Song of Hope, daily since 2012. She is also a singer and actor.

In April, her predecessor Song Hae was recognised as the world’s “oldest TV music talent show host” by Guinness World Records.