Debate grows in South Korea over using North Korea's official name

April 29 (Asia Today) -- A proposal by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young to use North Korea's official state name has sparked debate in South Korea, with critics warning it could affect the U.S.-South Korea alliance and long-standing policy principles toward Pyongyang.

The Ministry of Unification on Wednesday discussed the issue at a forum hosted by the Korean Political Science Association titled "Naming for Peaceful Coexistence: North Korea or Joseon." The ministry said it plans to gather public opinion through additional discussions before setting an official government position.

Some analysts warn the move could increase diplomatic and security burdens. They say the debate may send an unintended signal to Washington that Seoul is leaning toward a more conciliatory policy toward Pyongyang, particularly amid recent friction between South Korea and the United States over other issues.

Kim Tae-woo, former head of the Korea Institute for National Unification, said South Korea must continue to rely on the alliance with the United States for deterrence.

"From a government perspective, such discussions are not beneficial to our long-term security," he said.

Critics also argue the proposal could conflict with South Korea's constitutional framework. Article 3 of the Constitution defines the territory of the Republic of Korea as the entire Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands. The 1991 inter-Korean basic agreement describes relations between the two Koreas not as state-to-state ties but as a special relationship formed in the process of pursuing unification.

A former senior government official said using North Korea's official name raises broader issues about South Korea's unification policy and its principles toward Pyongyang.

"North Korea can refer to the South in its own way, and South Korea can do the same," the official said. "This is a matter that should be handled carefully at the level of national policy."

Some experts also warned against misreading North Korea's intentions. Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha Womans University, said Pyongyang's "two hostile states" stance ultimately implies a zero-sum outcome, making peaceful coexistence unlikely.

On the other hand, some participants at the forum supported using North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim Sung-kyung, a professor at Sogang University, said the name is widely used in diplomatic recognition by United Nations member states and in official international documents.

"The gap between how the international community refers to North Korea and how South Korea does has been a structural contradiction for more than 30 years," Kim said.

Kwon Eun-min, a lawyer at Kim & Chang, said using the official name does not necessarily imply diplomatic recognition or the establishment of formal relations, and therefore may not conflict with the special nature of inter-Korean relations.

Lee Dong-gi, a professor at Kangwon National University, said South Korea should consider changes in terminology from a pragmatic perspective based on the concept of "one nation, two states."

-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 9:52 PM.