Key facts
- North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has been used in inter-Korean agreements for over three decades.
- More than 100 inter-Korean documents since 1991 have included the DPRK designation.
- Historical examples include the 2000 inter-Korean summit declaration and a 1988 UN address by former President Roh Tae-woo.
- Media reporting guidelines from 1995 also recommended referring to North Korea as the DPRK.
- The Unification Ministry proposed using the official name to foster respect and trust, but President Lee Jae Myung advised caution.
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- A unification advisory council on Friday sought to quell controversy over the use of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), asserting that its appearance in inter-Korean agreements is a long-standing practice, not a new development.
The council, comprised of former unification ministers and experts in inter-Korean relations, convened a meeting where they highlighted that the DPRK designation has been present in over 100 inter-Korean documents for the past three decades.
Lim Dong-won, a former unification minister, recalled that the landmark June 15 inter-Korean summit declaration in 2000 officially referred to South Korea as the Republic of Korea (ROK) and North Korea as the DPRK. He emphasized that the use of "Joson," North Korea's Korean-language name, is not novel and urged a shift in public perception.
Jeong Se-hyun, another former unification minister, corroborated this, stating that more than 100 documents since 1991 have employed the DPRK name. He questioned the current apprehension towards its verbal use.
Paik Nak-chung, an emeritus professor at Seoul National University, referenced former President Roh Tae-woo's 1988 address to the United Nations, where he referred to North Korea as the DPRK. Paik described it as a "long-standing tradition" and suggested that refusing to use the name could be seen as confrontational.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young also pointed to 1995 reporting guidelines from three media associations that advocated for using the DPRK designation. He suggested that media outlets now face a choice regarding its acceptance or continued use as a "political weapon."
Earlier in the week, Minister Chung had proposed adopting the North's official name as a gesture of respect and trust-building. However, President Lee Jae Myung advised caution, warning that the move could lead to unnecessary political disputes and stressed the need for careful preparation. The ministry indicated it would support public debate on the issue rather than unilaterally implementing the plan.