<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-22</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000732713</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BELLSOUTH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BLS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001018982</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ANDERSON REUBEN V</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>SUITE 500, MTEL CENTRE N</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>200 S. LAMAR STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>JACKSON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MS</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>39201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Phantom Deferral Shares</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>64.7592</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>25.479</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2011-01-01</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2020-01-01</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>64.7592</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15373.158</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">SHARES OF PHANTOM STOCK CONVERT TO COMMON STOCK ON A ONE-FOR-ONE BASIS.</footnote><footnote id="F2">SHARES OF PHANTOM STOCK ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO BELLSOUTH CORPORATION DEFERRAL PLAN IN TRANSACTIONS EXEMPT UNDER RULE 16b-3(d).</footnote><footnote id="F3">PAID OUT 1/10 PER YEAR BEGINNING ON 1/1/2011.</footnote><footnote id="F4">INCLUDES SHARES OF PHANTOM STOCK ACQUIRED AS A RESULT OF REINVESTMENT OF DIVIDENDS ACCRUED ON PHANTOM SHARES PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED UNDER VARIOUS DEFERRAL PLANS IN TRANSACTIONS EXEMPT UNDER RULE 16b-3 AND DEFERRED INTO PHANTOM ACCOUNT.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Marcy A. Bass, Attorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgar.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3291}]
X0201
4
2003-09-22
0000732713
BELLSOUTH CORP
BLS
0001018982
ANDERSON REUBEN V
SUITE 500, MTEL CENTRE N
200 S. LAMAR STREET
JACKSON
MS
39201
1
0
0
0
Phantom Deferral Shares
2003-09-22
4
A
0
64.7592
25.479
A
2011-01-01
2020-01-01
Common Stock
64.7592
15373.158
D
SHARES OF PHANTOM STOCK CONVERT TO COMMON STOCK ON A ONE-FOR-ONE BASIS.
SHARES OF PHANTOM STOCK ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO BELLSOUTH CORPORATION DEFERRAL PLAN IN TRANSACTIONS EXEMPT UNDER RULE 16b-3(d).
PAID OUT 1/10 PER YEAR BEGINNING ON 1/1/2011.
INCLUDES SHARES OF PHANTOM STOCK ACQUIRED AS A RESULT OF REINVESTMENT OF DIVIDENDS ACCRUED ON PHANTOM SHARES PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED UNDER VARIOUS DEFERRAL PLANS IN TRANSACTIONS EXEMPT UNDER RULE 16b-3 AND DEFERRED INTO PHANTOM ACCOUNT.
Marcy A. Bass, Attorney in Fact
2003-09-24