Jeong Dongyoung: "Changing North Korea's Designation to 'Joseon' Is Not Ministry Policy... Public Discussion Must Come First"

On August 7, Minister of Unification Jeong Dongyoung commented on the proposal to refer to North Korea as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Joseon)," saying, "This should first be discussed publicly and mature within public opinion," and added, "This is not something the Ministry of Unification should take the lead on." This suggests that Minister Jeong, who has previously emphasized the need to use the term "Joseon" for North Korea at several official events since the beginning of the year, appears to be taking a step back.

Jeong Dongyoung, Minister of Unification, is having a casual meeting with the members of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council on the 7th at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul. 2026.8.7 Ministry of Unification Yonhap News
Photo by Yonhap News

On the same day, at the Government Complex Seoul, Minister Jeong hosted a tea meeting with veterans in the field of unification, stating, "The media have reported as if the ministry’s policy on the matter has already been decided, but I would like to clarify that this is not the case."

Earlier, at a presidential work briefing on August 5, Minister Jeong suggested changing North Korea’s designation, stating, "Calling the other side by its name is the starting point of peaceful coexistence." However, President Lee Jaemyoung, who received the report, effectively expressed his disapproval, saying, "If disputes over terminology become politicized, it could lead to unintended negative consequences." In his opening remarks, the president also cautioned the ministry, saying, "There is a risk that the peaceful coexistence policy could be exploited for political purposes," thereby taking an overall cautious stance.

At the tea meeting, Minister Jeong said, "Despite a year of efforts, North Korea remains unyielding," and confessed, "We are struggling to open an era of peaceful coexistence where both Koreas can experience a win-win outcome. However, it feels frustrating and regrettable as all channels seem completely blocked."

Jeong Dongyoung, Minister of Unification, is having a roundtable meeting with members of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on August 7, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency of the Ministry of Unification.

Nevertheless, the veteran experts with decades of experience on inter-Korean relations advised that the designation for North Korea should be changed to "Joseon." Lim Dongwon, former Minister of Unification during the Kim Daejung administration, noted that both "Republic of Korea" and "Joseon" were used in parallel in the 1991 Basic Agreement between the two Koreas, emphasizing, "It meant that both entities recognize each other’s existence in the international community. It’s not new at all for us to use the name 'Joseon'—although it may seem unfamiliar. We need to help shift public perception." However, he expressed regret, saying, "It is difficult to see any clear path forward regarding both the use of national titles and improvements in inter-Korean relations."

Jeong Sehyun, former Minister (during the Kim Daejung and Roh Moohyun administrations), added, "Since 1991, there have been over 100 inter-Korean agreements, including at summits, using the countries' official titles. I don’t understand why people are suddenly so wary when it comes to using the term in speech, rather than just on documents."

Baik Nakcheong, professor emeritus at Seoul National University, also said, "It was President Roh Taewoo who first referred to 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea' by that name in his presidential capacity. This isn’t about nicknames, but simply using the names listed in the household register—refusing to do so is nothing less than arrogance and a call for confrontation." However, he noted, "The term 'Joseon' is widely recognized as referring to the entire Korean Peninsula, so calling only the divided half of the peninsula 'Joseon' does feel awkward."

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