Names of Korea

There are variousnames of Koreain use today that are all derived from those of ancient Koreanic kingdoms and dynasties. The choice of name often depends on the language, whether the user is referring to either or both modern Korean countries, and even the user's political views on theKorean conflict.

The nameKoreais anexonym,derived fromGoryeoorKoryŏ.BothNorth KoreaandSouth Koreause the name in English. However, in theKorean language,the two Koreas use different terms to refer to the nominally unified nation:JoseonorChosŏn(조선,Triều Tiên) in North Korea andHanguk(한국,Hàn Quốc) in South Korea.

History

See also:History of Korea

The earliest records of Korean history are written inChinese characterscalledhanja.Even after the invention ofhangul,Koreans generally recorded native Korean names with hanja, bytranslationof meaning,transliterationof sound, or even combinations of the two. Furthermore, the pronunciations of the same character are somewhat different in Korean and the various Korean dialects, and have changed over time.

For all these reasons, in addition to the sparse and sometimes contradictory written records, it is often difficult to determine the original meanings or pronunciations of ancient names.

Ancient history

Gojoseon

Until 108 BC, northern Korea and part ofManchuriawere controlled byGojoseon.In contemporaneousChineserecords, it was written asTriều Tiên,which is pronounced in modern Korean asJoseon(조선). Historically, these characters have been read in the Korean language as 됴션Dyosyen;조선Joseonis a very recent spelling, reformed to reflect recent changes in the phonology of the Korean language. The prefi xing ofGo-(Cổ), meaning "old" or "ancient," is a historiographical convention that distinguishes it from the laterJoseon Dynasty.The name Joseon is also now still used by North Koreans andKoreans living in ChinaandJapanto refer to the peninsula, and as the official Korean form of the name ofDemocratic People's Republic of Korea(Joseon).Cognates of Triều TiênJoseonare also used in many Asian languages, such as Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese, to refer to the Korean Peninsula.

Possibly theChinese charactersphonetically transcribed a native Korean name, perhaps pronounced something like "Jyusin". Some speculate that it also corresponds to Chinese references toTúc thận(숙신,Suksin (ethnic group)),Kê thận(직신,Jiksin) andTức thận(식신,Siksin), although these latter names probably describe the ancestors of theJurchen people.

Other scholars believeTriều Tiênwas atranslation(like Japanesekun'yomi) of the native KoreanAsadal(아사달), the capital of Gojoseon:asabeing a hypotheticalAltaicroot word for "morning", anddalmeaning "mountain", a common ending for Goguryeo place names (with the use of the characterTiên"fresh" to transcribe the final-dalsyllable possibly having been based on the pronunciation of the ancient ancestor of Middle Koreandɔl-> Modern Korean 달dal-"sweet" ).

An early attempt to translate these characters into English gave rise to the expression "The Land of the Morning Calm" for Korea,which parallels the expression "The Land of the Rising Sun" for Japan. While the wording is fanciful, the essence of the translation is valid.

Han

Around the time of Gojoseon's fall, various chiefdoms in southern Korea grouped into confederacies, collectively called theSamhan(삼한,Tam Hàn,"ThreeHan").Hanis a native Korean root for "leader" or "great", as inmaripgan( "king", archaic),hanabi( "grandfather", archaic), andHanbat( "Great Field", archaic name forDaejeon).

Hanwas transliterated in Chinese records asHàn;hán(한),Làm;gàn(간),Khan;kān(간), andLàm;gān(간). The Korean name Han is etymologically disconnected from both the Chinese state Hàn; hán, despite sharing the same Chinese character, and the Han ( hán; hàn) dynasty along with the associated ethnicity.

Beginning in the 7th century, the name "Samhan"became synonymous with theThree Kingdoms of Korea.According to theSamguk sagiandSamguk yusa,Sillaimplemented a national policy, "Samhan Unification" (삼한일통;Tam Hàn nhất thống), to integrateBaekjeandGoguryeorefugees. In 1982, a memorial stone dating back to 686 was discovered inCheongjuwith an inscription: "The Three Han were unified and the domain was expanded."During theLater Sillaperiod, the concepts of Samhan as the ancient confederacies and the Three Kingdoms of Korea were merged.In a letter to an imperial tutor of the Tang dynasty,Ch'oe Ch'i-wŏnequated Byeonhan to Baekje, Jinhan to Silla, and Mahan to Goguryeo.By theGoryeoperiod, Samhan became a common name to refer to all of Korea.In his Ten Mandates to his descendants,Wang Geondeclared that he had unified the Three Han (Samhan), referring to the Three Kingdoms of Korea.Samhan continued to be a common name for Korea during theJoseonperiod and was widely referenced in theAnnals of the Joseon Dynasty.

In China, the Three Kingdoms of Korea were collectively called Samhan since the beginning of the 7th century.The use of the name Samhan to indicate the Three Kingdoms of Korea was widespread in theTang dynasty.Goguryeo was alternately calledMahanby the Tang dynasty, as evidenced by a Tang document that called Goguryeo generals "Mahan leaders" (마한추장;Mã Hàn tù trưởng) in 645.In 651,Emperor Gaozong of Tangsent a message to the king of Baekje referring to the Three Kingdoms of Korea as Samhan.Epitaphs of the Tang dynasty, including those belonging to Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla refugees and migrants, called the Three Kingdoms of Korea "Samhan", especially Goguryeo.For example, the epitaph of Go Hyeon (고현;Cao huyền), a Tang dynasty general of Goguryeo origin who died in 690, calls him a "Liaodong Samhan man" (요동 삼한인;Liêu Đông tam Hàn người).TheHistory of Liaoequates Byeonhan to Silla, Jinhan to Buyeo, and Mahan to Goguryeo.

The "Han" in the names of theKorean Empire,Daehan Jeguk,and theRepublic of Korea(South Korea),Daehan MingukorHanguk,are named in reference to the Three Kingdoms of Korea, not the ancient confederacies in the southern Korean Peninsula.

Goryeo

Around the beginning of theCommon Era,remnants of the fallen Gojoseon were re-united and expanded by the kingdom ofGoguryeo,one of theThree Kingdoms of Korea.It, too, was a native Korean word, probably pronounced something like "Guri", transcribed with various hanja characters:Cao Lệ,Cao câu lệ,orCao câu lệ(고구려,Goguryeo),Cao Ly(고려,Goryeo),Cao ly(고리,Gori), orCâu lệ(구려,Guryeo). The source native name is thought to be either *Guru( "walled city, castle, fortress"; attested in Chinese historical documents, but not in native Korean sources) or *Gauri( "center, middle"; cf. Middle Korean*gaβɔndɔyand Standard Modern Koreangaunde가운데).

The theory that Goguryeo referenced the founder's surname has been largely discredited (the royal surname changed fromHaetoGolong after the state's founding).

Revival of the names

In the south, the Samhan resolved into the kingdoms ofBaekjeandSilla,constituting, with Goguryeo, theThree Kingdoms of Korea.In 668, Silla unified the three kingdoms, and reigned asLater Sillauntil 935. The nameSamhanbecame synonymous with the Three Kingdoms of Korea beginning in the 7th century, and by the Goryeo period it became a common name to refer to all of Korea.

The succeeding dynasty called itselfGoryeo(Korean:고려;Hanja:Cao Ly;MR:Koryŏ), and regarded itself as the successor toGoguryeo(Korean:고구려;Hanja:Cao Lệ;MR:Koguryŏ).The name Goryeo was the shortened form of Goguryeo and was first used during the reign ofJangsuin the 5th century. Through theSilk Roadtrade routes,Persian and Arab merchantsbrought knowledge about Silla and Goryeo toIndiaand theMiddle East.Goryeo was transliterated intoItalianas "Cauli", the nameMarco Poloused when mentioning the country in hisTravels,derived from theChineseformGāolí.

In 1392, a new dynasty established by a military coup revived the nameJoseon(조선,Triều Tiên,Chosŏn), after the ancient state Gojoseon. The alternative name for this nation could have been Hwaryeong, but in the end, Taejo of Joseon decided to go with Joseon. The hanja for Joseon have been translated into English as "morning calm" and sometimes rather as "morning freshness" or "morning radiance"and Korea's English nickname became"The Landof the Morning Calm ";however, this interpretation is not often used in the Korean language, and is more familiar to Koreans as aback-translationfrom English. Only the interpretation as "morning freshness" is plainly viable, with "morning calm" and "morning radiance" being rather fanciful interpretations. The nickname "Land of the Morning Calm" was coined byPercival Lowellin his book, "Chosön, the Land of the Morning Calm," published in 1885.

In 1897, the nation was renamedDaehan Jeguk(대한제국,Đại Hàn đế quốc,literally, "Great Han Empire", known in English asKorean Empire).Hanhad been selected in reference toSamhan,specifically the Three Kingdoms of Korea, not the ancient confederacies in the southern Korean Peninsula.So,Daehan Jeguk(대한제국,Đại Hàn đế quốc) means it is an empire that rules the area of Three Kingdoms of Korea. This name was used to emphasize independence of Korea, because an empire cannot be a subordinate country.

20th century

When the Korean Empire came underJapanese rulein 1910, the name reverted toJoseon(officially, the Japanese pronunciationChōsen). During this period, many different groups outside of Korea fought for independence, the most notable being theDaehan Minguk Imsi Jeongbu(대한민국 임시정부,Đại Hàn dân quốc lâm thời chính phủ), literally the "Provisional Government of the Great Han People's State", known in English as theProvisional Government of the Republic of Korea(Dân quốc=Dân'people' +Quốccountry/state' = 'republic' in East Asian capitalist societies).

Korea became independent afterWorld War II(1945) and the country was thendivided.

In 1948, the South adopted the provisional government's name ofDaehan Minguk(대한민국,Đại Hàn dân quốc;see above), known in English as theRepublic of Korea,though commentators have noted that the English name is not a direct translation of the Korean one.

Meanwhile, the North becameChosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk(조선민주주의인민공화국,Triều Tiên dân chủ chủ nghĩa nhân dân nước cộng hoà), translated in English as theDemocratic People's Republic of Korea.Each component of the name was carefully selected.Chosŏnwas the natural choice for the short form, "Korea", since it had been used throughout the colonial period to denote the Peninsula. For the long form of the name,Konghwagukwas used for republic because of its leftist connotations overMinguk.North Koreans wanted to adopt something that had already been used in theEastern Blocto borrow legitimacy. A choice was presented between a "People's Republic"and a"Democratic Republic",because they had been used in the names of the short-livedUkrainian People's Republic of Sovietsand theFinnish Democratic Republic,respectively. "People's Republic" was favored byPak Hon-yongof theCommunist Party of Koreaand it had already been used by the temporaryPeople's Republic of Korea(PRK) formed in Seoul after liberation. "Democratic Republic", on the other hand, was associated withMao Zedong's concept ofNew Democracy,which influencedKim Tu-bongof theNew People's Party of Korea.After his party merged with theWorkers' Party of North Korea,the concept found its way toKim Il Sung's parlance. Kim began to speak of a "Democratic People's Republic". This was echoed by what the true authorities of the country, theSoviet Civil Administration,prescribed, albeit in different order: "People's-Democratic Republic" (Russian:Народно-Демократическая Республика). Thus the name of the country became the "Korea(n) Democratic People's Republic" in Korean and "Korean People's-Democratic Republic" in Russian so that both parties could claim that they were behind the coining.

Current usage

A South Korean map of the Korean Peninsula, using the official Korean name for South Korea and the colloquial South Korean exonym for North Korea.Koreais calledChosŏn(조선, Triều Tiên ) inNorth Korea,andHanguk(한국, Hàn Quốc ) inSouth Korea.

East Asia

Korea

Today, South Koreans useHanguk(한국,Hàn Quốc) to refer to just South Koreaor Korea as a whole,Namhan(남한,Nam Hàn;"South Han" ) for South Korea, andBukhan(북한,Bắc Triều Tiên;"North Han" ) for North Korea. South Korea less formally refers to North Korea asIbuk(이북,Lấy bắc;"The North" ). South Koreans often refer to Korea as "uri nara" (우리나라), meaning "our nation" or "our country". In addition, the official name for the Republic of Korea in the Korean language is "Daehan Minguk" (대한민국,Đại Hàn dân quốc;which is usually translated as "The Republic of Korea" ).

North Koreans useChosŏn,Namchosŏn(남조선,Nam triều tiên;"South Chosŏn" ), andPukchosŏn(북조선,Bắc triều tiên;"North Chosŏn" ) when referring to Korea, South Korea, and North Korea, respectively. The termPukchosŏn,however, is rarely used in the north, although it may be found in pre-war sources, such as theSong of General Kim Il-sung.In the 1970s,Kim Il Sungsuggested that in the event of a North Korean takeover of South Korea, "Koryo" (Korean:고려) could become the Korean name of the country.

In the tourist regions in North Korea and the official meetings between South Korea and North Korea,Namcheuk(남측,Nam sườn) andBukcheuk(북측,Bắc sườn), or "southern side" and "northern side", are used instead ofNamjosŏnandBukhan.

TheKorean languageis calledHangukeo(한국어,Hàn Quốc ngữ,referring to the Korean language) orHangukmal(한국말,Hàn Quốc 말,referring to spoken Korean only) in the South andChosŏnmal(조선말,Triều Tiên 말) orChosŏnŏ(조선어,Triều Tiên ngữ) in the North. The Korean script is calledhangeul(한글) in South Korea andChosŏn'gŭl(조선글) in North Korea. TheKorean Peninsulais calledHanbando(한반도,Hàn bán đảo) in the South andChosŏn Bando(조선반도,Triều Tiên bán đảo) in the North.

Greater China

This map of China from 1929 labels Korea as "Triều Tiên", with a sidenote reading "Cháoxiǎn,also known asHán,was a vassal state of our country "

InChinese-speaking areas such asChina,Hong Kong,MacauandTaiwan,different naming conventions on several terms have been practiced according to their political proximity to whichever Korean government although there is a growing trend for convergence.

In the Chinese language, the Korean Peninsula is usually calledCháoxiǎn Bàndǎo(simplified Chinese:Triều Tiên bán đảo;traditional Chinese:Triều Tiên bán đảo) and in rare cases calledHán Bàndǎo(simplified Chinese:Hàn bán đảo;traditional Chinese:Hàn bán đảo). Ethnic Koreans are also calledCháoxiǎnzú(Dân tộc Triều Tiên), instead ofDàhán mínzú(Đại Hàn dân tộc). However, the termHánguó ren(Hàn Quốc người) may be used to specifically refer to South Koreans.

Before establishing diplomatic relations with South Korea, thePeople's Republic of Chinatended to use the historic Korean nameCháoxiǎn(Triều Tiên"Joseon" or "Chosŏn" ), by referring to South Korea asNán Cháoxiǎn(Nam triều tiên"South Joseon" ). Since diplomatic ties were restored, China has used the names that each of the two sides prefer, by referring to North Korea asCháoxiǎnand to South Korea asHánguó(Hàn Quốc"Hanguk" ). The Korean language can be referred to as eitherCháoxiǎnyǔ(Triều Tiên ngữ) orHánguóyǔ(Hàn Quốc ngữ). TheKorean Waris officially called theKàngměi Yuáncháo Zhànzhēng(Kháng Mỹ viện Triều chiến tranh"War to Resist America and Aid Korea" ) although the termCháoxiǎn Zhànzhēng(Triều Tiên chiến tranh) is also used in unofficial contexts.

Taiwan,on the other hand, uses the South Korean names, referring to North Korean asBěihán(Bắc Triều Tiên"North Han" ) and South Korean asNánhán(Nam Hàn"South Han" ). TheRepublic of Chinapreviously maintained diplomatic relations with South Korea, but has never had relations with North Korea. As a result, in the past,Hánguó(Hàn Quốc) had been used to refer to the whole Korea, and Taiwanese textbooks treated Korea as a unified nation. TheMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chinaunder theDemocratic Progressive PartyGovernment considered North and South Koreas two separate countries. However, general usage in Taiwan is still to refer to North Korea asBěihán(Bắc Triều Tiên"North Han[guk]" ) and South Korea asNánhán(Nam Hàn"South Han[guk]" ) while use ofTriều Tiên– which in Taiwan is not pronouncedCháoxiǎnbutCháoxiān– is generally limited to ancient Korea. The Korean language is usually referred to asHányǔ(Hàn ngữ).

Similarly, general usage inHong KongandMacauhas traditionally referred to North Korea asBak Hon(Bắc Triều Tiên"North Han" ) and South Korea asNam Hon(Nam Hàn"South Han" ). Under the influence of official usage, which is itself influenced by the official usage of thePeople's Republic of Chinagovernment, the mainland practice of naming the two Koreas differently has become more common.

In the Chinese language used inSingaporeandMalaysia,North Korea is usually calledCháoxiǎn(Triều Tiên"Chosŏn" ) withBěi Cháoxiǎn(Bắc triều tiên"North Chosŏn" ) andBěihán(Bắc Triều Tiên"North Han" ) less often used, while South Korea is usually calledHánguó(Hàn Quốc"Hanguk" ) withNánhán(Nam Hàn"South Han[guk]" ) andNán Cháoxiǎn(Nam triều tiên"South Chosŏn" ) less often used.

InHokkienspeaking areas of chinese communities in countries like Taiwan and aroundSoutheast Asia,Korea is calledHân-kok(Hàn Quốc"Hanguk" ) where North Korea is referred to asPak-hân(Bắc Triều Tiên"North Han" ) and South Korea asLâm-hân(Nam Hàn"South Han" ).

The above usage pattern does not apply for Korea-derived words. For example, Koreanginsengis commonly calledGāolì shēn(Sâm Cao Ly,"Koryo ginseng" ).

Japan

InJapan,North Korea is calledKita-Chōsen(Bắc triều tiên) and South KoreaKankoku(Hàn Quốc).

However,Japan-based North Koreansclaim the nameKita-Chōsenis derogatory, as it only refers to the northern part of Korean Peninsula, whereas the government claims sovereignty over its whole territory.Pro-North people such asChongryonuse the nameKyōwakoku(Nước cộng hoà;"the Republic" ) instead, but the ambiguous name is not popular among others. In 1972, Chongryon campaigned to get the Japanese media to stop referring to North Korea asKita-Chōsen.This effort was not successful, but as a compromise most media companies agreed to refer to the nation with its full official title at least once in every article, thus they used the lengthyKita-Chōsen (Chōsen Minshu-shugi Jinmin Kyōwakoku)(Bắc triều tiên ( Triều Tiên dân chủ chủ nghĩa nhân dân nước cộng hoà );"North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)" ). By January 2003, this policy started to be abandoned by most newspapers, starting withTokyo Shimbun,which announced that it would no longer write out the full name,followed byAsahi,Mainichi,andNikkei.

For Korea as a whole,Chōsen(Triều Tiên;"Joseon" ) is commonly used. The term Chōsen, which has a longer usage history, continues to be used to refer to the Korean Peninsula, the Korean ethnic group, and the Korean language, which are use cases that would not cause confusion between Korea and North Korea. When referring to both North Korean and South Koreans, thetranscriptionofphonetic EnglishKorean(コリアン,Korian) may be used because a reference to a Chōsen national may be interpreted as a North Korean national instead.

TheKorean languageis most frequently referred to in Japan asKankokugo(Hàn Quốc ngữ) orChōsengo(Triều Tiên ngữ). While academia mostly prefersChōsengo,Kankokugobecame more and more common in non-academic fields, thanks to the economic and cultural presence of South Korea. The language is also referred to as various combined terms, such asKankoku-Chōsen-go(Hàn Quốc Triều Tiên ngữ),Chōsen-Kankoku-go(Triều Tiên ・ Hàn Quốc ngữ), "Kankokugo (Chōsengo)" (Hàn Quốc ngữ ( Triều Tiên ngữ )), etc. Some people refer to the language asKoriago(コリア ngữ), using the European name for Korea. This term is not used in ordinary Japanese, but was selected as a compromise to placate both nations in a euphemistic process calledkotobagari.Likewise, whenNHKbroadcasts a language instruction program for Korean, the language is referred to ashangurugo(ハングル ngữ;"hangul language" ); although it is technically incorrect sincehangulitself is a writing system, not a language.Some argue that evenHangurugois not completely neutral, since North Korea calls the writing systemChosŏn'gŭl,nothangul.Urimaru(ウリマル), a direct transcription ofuri mal(우리말,"our language" ) is sometimes used by Korean residents in Japan, as well as byKBS World Radio.This term, however, may not be suitable to ethnic Japanese whose "our language" is not necessarily Korean.

Uri(우리 "we/us/our" ) is the first-person plural pronoun and it is commonly used as a prefix in Korean terms to describe things that are Korean, such asuri nara(우리나라, "our country" ) which is yet another name Koreans give their country.

In Japan, those who moved to Japan usually maintain their distinctive cultural heritages (such as the Baekje-towns or Goguryeo-villages). EthnicKorean residents of Japanhave been collectively calledZainichi Chōsenjin(Ở ngày Triều Tiên người"Joseon People in Japan" ), regardless of nationality. However, for the same reason as above, the euphemismZainichi Korian(Ở ngày コリアン;"Koreans in Japan" ) is increasingly used today.Zainichi(Ở ngày;"In Japan" ) itself is also often used colloquially. People withNorth Korean nationalityare calledZainichi Chōsenjin,while those withSouth Korean nationality,sometimes including recent newcomers, are calledZainichi Kankokujin(Ở ngày Hàn Quốc người"Hanguk People in Japan" ).

Mongolia

Mongolian people have their own word for Korea: Солонгос (Solongos). InMongolian,solongomay mean either "rainbow"or"mountain weasel(Mustela altaica,heeriyn solongo"field/steppesolongo") orSiberian weasel(Mustela sibirica,oyn solongo"forestsolongo")." Another theory states that the name is probably derived from theSolon tribeliving in Manchuria, a tribe culturally and ethnically related to the Korean people.North and South Korea are, accordingly, Хойд Солонгос (Hoid Solongos) and Өмнөд Солонгос (Ömnöd Solongos). The authors of an article published in the year 2023 have related MongolianSolongosfor "Korea" to the Mongolic word *solagaï(cf.Khalkh Mongolian солгой "left-handed, a lefty; out of tune, sounding wrong" ), which may in turn be from Turkic*sōl"left.";because "left" also means "east(ern)" in Mongolic languages (whereas "right" also means "west(ern)" ), the authors suggest that this word may have been used to refer to "a foreign enemy force in the east," similar to Chinese đông diDōngyí.

The name of eitherSillaor its capital Seora-beol was also widely used throughout Northeast Asia as the ethnonym for the people of Silla, appearing [...] asSolgoorSolhoin the language of the medieval Jurchens and their later descendants, the Manchus respectively. The plural ofSolho( "Korea, Korean; a Korean" ) in the Manchu language isSolhoso( "Koreans,Korean people "), similar toSolongosin Mongolian. Manchu also hassolohiorsilihifor certain kinds of weasel (specifically,suwayan solohi"yellowsolohi"forMustela sibirica), butnioronfor "rainbow."

The Mongolian and Manchu names for Korea and Koreans also resembleOld JapaneseSiraki~Siragi( "Silla") and Old Korean *Syerapeur"Gyeongju; capital city of Silla" > Late Middle KoreanSyeveulh"capital city (of Joseon)" > Modern KoreanSeoul"capital city (of South Korea)."

Vietnamese-speaking areas

In Vietnam, people call North KoreaTriều Tiên(Triều Tiên;"Chosŏn" ) and South KoreaHàn Quốc(Hàn Quốc;"Hanguk" ). Prior to unification,North VietnamusedBắc Triều Tiên(Bắc triều tiên;Bukchosŏn) andNam Triều Tiên(Nam triều tiên;Namjoseon) whileSouth VietnamusedBắc Hàn(Bắc Triều Tiên;Bukhan) andNam Hàn(Nam Hàn;Namhan) for North and South Korea, respectively. After unification, the northern Vietnamese terminology persisted until the 1990s. When South Korea reestablished diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1993, it requested that Vietnam use the name that it uses for itself, andHàn Quốcgradually replacedNam Triều Tiênin usage.

In the Vietnamese language used in the United States,Bắc HànandNam Hànare most common used.

Outside East Asia

English usage and spelling

Both South and North Korea use the name "Korea" when referring to their countries in English. North Korea is sometimes referred to as "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (DPRK) and South Korea is sometimes referred to as the "Republic of Korea" (ROK). The official names of both entities are also used by organizations such asUnited Nations,International Olympic Committeeand media such as theAssociated Press,China Global Television Network(CGTN), and several others.

As with other European languages, English historically had a variety of names for Korea. These included "Cauli" (Marco Polo's rendering ofGoryeo), Caule, Core, Cory, Caoli, and Corai as well as two spellings that survived into the 19th century, Corea and Korea. The modern spelling, "Korea", first appeared in the late 17th century in the travel writings of theDutch East India Company'sHendrick Hamel.The terms "Chosunese" or "Chosonese" were first used to refer to the people ofJoseonin the late 19th century but were eventually phased out.

Both major English-speaking governments in the 19th and 20th centuries (theUnited Statesand theUnited Kingdomand itsempire) used both "Korea" and "Corea" until the early part of theperiod of Japanese occupation.English-language publications in the 19th century generally used the spelling Corea, which was also used at the founding of the UK's embassy in Seoul in 1890.However, at the turn of the century, the then U.S.ministerandconsul generalto Korea,Horace Newton Allen,used "Korea" in his works published on the country.At the official Korean exhibit at theWorld's Columbian Exhibitionin Chicago in 1893 a sign was posted by the Korean Commissioner saying of his country's name that "'Korea' and 'Corea' are both correct, but the former is preferred."This may have had something to do with Allen's influence, as he was heavily involved in the planning and participation of the Korean exhibit at Chicago.

A shift can also be seen in Korea itself, where postage stamps issued in 1884 used the name "Corean Post" in English, but those from 1885 and thereafter used "Korea" or "Korean Post".

• Names of Korea on 19th century Korean stamps
• 
  1884 stamp reading "Corean Post"
• 
  1885 stamp reading "Korea"
• 
  1900 stamp reading "Imperial Korean Post"

By the first two decades of the 20th century, "Korea" began to be seen more frequently than "Corea" – a change that coincided with Japan's consolidation of its grip over the peninsula. However, the spelling "Corea" was occasionally used even under full colonial rule and both it and "Korea" were largely eschewed in favor of the Japanese-derived "Chosen",which itself was derived from "Joseon".

A theory that grew in popularity in South Korea in the early 2000s and especially during the 2002 jointWorld Cup(and endorsed by the North Korean state) was that Japan as occupier had intentionally standardized the spelling on "Korea", allegedly so that "Japan" would appear first Alpha betically. However, evidence of a deliberate name change orchestrated by Japanese authorities is circumstantial, for example, a 1912 memoir by a Japanese colonial officialthat complained of the Koreans' tendency "to maintain they are an independent country by insisting on using a C to write their country's name."

Other languages

European languages use variations of the name "Korea" for both North and South Korea. In general,CelticandRomance languagesspell it "Corea" (or variations) since "c" represents the/k/sound in most Romance and Celtic orthographies. However, languages that have a general preference towards representing/k/with "k" rather than "c", such as mostGermanicorSlavic languages,generally use variants of "Korea" instead. In languages using other Alpha bets such asRussian(Cyrillic), variations phonetically similar to "Korea" are also used for example the Russian name for Korea is Корея, romanization Koreya or Koreja. Outside of Europe, most languages also use variants of "Korea", often adopted to local orthographies. Some Languages, especiallyRomance LanguageslikeItalian,FrenchandSpanishuse spellings that start with "c": Corea, Corée and Corea respectively. "Korea" in theJurchen Jin's national language (Jurchen) is "Sogo". "Korea" in theconlangEsperantois "Koreio". "Korea" inHmongis "Kauslim" ( "s" and "m" representtones,not consonants).

Koreans abroad

Emigrants who moved toRussiaandCentral Asiacall themselvesGoryeoinorKoryo-saram(고려인;Người Cao Lệ;literally "person or people of Goryeo" ), orKoreytsi(корейцы) inRussian.Many Goryeoin are living in theCIS,including an estimated 106,852 inRussia,22,000 inUzbekistan,20,000 inKyrgyzstan,17,460 inKazakhstan,8,669 inUkraine,2,000 inBelarus,350 inMoldova,250 inGeorgia,100 inAzerbaijan,and 30 inArmenia.As of 2005, there are also 1.9 million ethnic Koreans living in China who hold Chinese citizenship and a further 560,000 Korean expatriates from both North and South living in China.

South Korean expatriates living in the U.S. may refer to themselves asJaemi(-)gyopo(재미교포;Ở mỹ kiều bào,lit. '"residents of America"'), or "gyopo" for short.

Names of Unified Korean sporting teams

Main article:Unified Korean sporting teams § Names

Sobriquets of Korea

In traditional Korean culture, as well as in the cultural tradition of East Asia, the land of Korea has assumed a number ofsobriquetsover the centuries, including:

• 계림 ( kê lâm )Gyerim,"Rooster Forest", in reference to an early name forSilla.
• 군자지국 ( quân tử quốc gia )Gunjaji-guk,or "Land of Scholarly Gentlemen".
• 금수강산 ( cẩm tú giang sơn )Geumsu gangsan,"Land of Embroidered (or Splendid) Rivers and Mountains".
• 단국 ( đàn quốc )Danguk,"Country ofDangun".
• 대동 ( đại đông )Daedong,"Great East".
• 동국 ( đông quốc )Dongguk,"Eastern Country".
• 동방 ( đông bang )Dongbang,literally "an Eastern Country" referring to Korea.
• 동방예의지국 ( phương đông lễ nghĩa quốc gia, phương đông lễ nghi quốc gia )Dongbang yeuiji-guk,"Eastern Country of Courtesy".
• 동야 ( Đông Dã )Dongya,"Eastern Plains".
• 동이 ( đông di )Dong-i,or "Eastern Foreigners".
• 구이 ( chín di )Gu-i,"Nine-i", refers to ancient tribes in the Korean peninsula.
• 동토 ( đông thổ )Dongto,"Eastern Land".
• 백의민족 ( bạch y dân tộc )Baeguiminjok,"The white-clad race".
• 삼천리 ( ba ngàn dặm )Three-thousand Li,a reference to the length traditionally attributed to the country from its northern to southern tips plus eastern to western tips.
• 아사달 ( a tư đạt )Asadal,apparently anOld Koreanterm for Joseon.
• 청구 ( thanh khâu )Cheonggu,or "Azure Hills". The color Azure is associated with the East.
• 팔도강산 ( tám đạo giang sơn )Paldo gangsan,"Rivers and Mountains of the Eight Provinces", referring to the traditionaleight provinces of Korea.
• 근화향 ( cẩn hoa hương )Geunhwahyang,"Country of Mugunghwa" refer to Silla Kingdom.
• 근역 ( cẩn vực )Geunyeok,"Hibiscus Territory", or Land of Hibiscus
• 삼한 ( tam Hàn )Samhan,or "Three Hans", refers toSamhanconfederacy that ruled Southern Korea. Beginning in the 7th century, Samhan became synonymous with theThree Kingdoms of Korea.
• 해동 ( hải đông )Haedong,"East of the Sea" (here being the West Sea separating from Korea).
• 해동삼국 ( hải đông tam quốc )Haedong samguk,"Three Kingdoms East of the Sea" refers toThree Kingdoms of Korea
• 해동성국 ( hải đông thịnh quốc )Haedong seongguk,literally "Flourishing Eastern Sea Country", historically refers toBalhaeKingdom of north–south period.
• 진국 ( chấn quốc, chấn quốc )Jinguk,"Shock Country", old name ofBalhaeKingdom.
• 진역 ( chấn vực )Jinyeok,"Eastern Domain".
• 진단 ( chấn đàn, chấn đàn )Jindan,"Eastern Country ofDangun".
• 진국 ( thần quốc )Jinguk,"Country of Early Morning", refer to the Jin state ofGojoseonperiod.

See also

• History of Korea
• Romanization of Korean

Further reading

• Kong Myong-song (2009).Successive Names of Korea and Their Deviations(PDF).Pyongyang:Foreign Languages Publishing House.ISBN978-9946-0-0371-9.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2016-08-17.Retrieved2016-08-02.