"Not 'North Korea' but 'Joseon'?... Unification Ministry Gauges Public Opinion on Changing North Korea's Official Designation"

Special Academic Conference:
"Calling Names for Peaceful Coexistence: North Korea or Joseon?"
Hosted by the Korean Political Science Association and Sponsored by the Ministry of Unification

The Ministry of Unification is gauging public opinion on a plan to change its official reference to North Korea to "Democratic People's Republic of Korea," abbreviated as "Joseon." This move appears to have been initiated after Minister of Unification Chung Dongyoung stated at an internal New Year’s ceremony in January that "the Lee Jaemyung administration respects the system of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea." The government is reportedly considering changing its terminology for North Korea at the official level, following a period of public discussion.

On April 29, 2026, at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, Professor Kwon Manhak of Kyung Hee University, who chaired the 2026 Korean Political Science Association special academic conference titled "Calling Names for Peaceful Coexistence: North Korea or Joseon," is delivering remarks. Photo by Ondol, Yonhap News Agency

On the morning of April 29, at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, a special academic conference was held under the theme "Calling Names for Peaceful Coexistence: North Korea or Joseon?" The event was organized by the Korean Political Science Association and sponsored by the Ministry of Unification.

The term "North Korea" has been used consistently for over 80 years since the division of the Korean Peninsula. It is explicitly stated in relevant legal provisions such as the Inter-Korean Relations Development Act and the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act. However, North Korea has declared inter-Korean relations to be between "two hostile states" and has emphasized its identity as an independent nation. When referring to South Korea, North Korea now uses "Republic of Korea" or "Korea" instead of the old term "Namjoson." Minister Chung's proposal to change the designation of North Korea to "Joseon" is interpreted as part of a conciliatory policy toward the North.

Kim Sungkyung, a professor at Sogang University, stated, "If South Korea officially refers to North Korea as 'Joseon,' it could send messages of mutual respect, relationship reset, and proactive trust-building toward the North." However, she also noted, "We must consider the realistic criticism that changing the designation may seem trivial or awkward." In addition, the Constitution of the Republic of Korea defines the territory as "the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands," including North Korea, so recognizing North Korea as a separate state could be deemed unconstitutional.

Vice Minister of Unification Kim Namjoong said, "We will comprehensively consider our constitutional order, the unique nature of inter-Korean relations, domestic laws and international practices, and the public consensus."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.