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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000732713</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BELLSOUTH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BLS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001013644</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ACKERMAN F DUANE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1155 PEACHTREE STREET, NE, SUITE 2000</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30309</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>17023</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.195</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>349762</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9735.194</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>ESOP</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">REPRESENTS SHARES WITHHELD FROM VESTED RESTRICTED STOCK FOR THE PAYMENT OF FEDERAL AND STATE TAXES DUE ON VESTING. </footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>F.D. Ackerman</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgar.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2824}]
X0201
4
2003-12-31
0000732713
BELLSOUTH CORP
BLS
0001013644
ACKERMAN F DUANE
1155 PEACHTREE STREET, NE, SUITE 2000
ATLANTA
GA
30309
1
1
0
0
Chairman and CEO
Common Stock
2003-12-31
4
F
0
17023
28.195
D
349762
D
Common Stock
9735.194
I
ESOP
REPRESENTS SHARES WITHHELD FROM VESTED RESTRICTED STOCK FOR THE PAYMENT OF FEDERAL AND STATE TAXES DUE ON VESTING.
F.D. Ackerman
2004-01-05