Taiwan Demands Name Change: ‘South Korea’ to Replace ‘Korea’ in Electronic Entry Cards

Translation result.

Respond by the 31st of this month

Taiwan’s government said it will change the country name displayed on electronic arrival registration forms issued to South Korean nationals from ‘Korea’ to ‘South Korea.’ Taipei said the move is a response to Seoul’s decision last year to list Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan)’ in its online arrival application system and warned it will implement the change unless it receives an official reply by the end of the month.

According to the Central News Agency on the 23rd, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung told a TV interviewer the previous afternoon that Taipei has demanded a response from Seoul by month-end over Seoul’s labeling of Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan)’ in the e-arrival card system. He said that if Taipei does not receive a positive reply by the deadline, it will take reciprocal measures.

Earlier this month, Taiwan revised the country designation in its foreign resident identification system from ‘Korea’ to ‘South Korea.’

Lin recalled that more than a decade ago South Korea asked Taiwan to use ‘Seoul’ instead of ‘Hanseong’ and to adopt ‘Republic of Korea’ in place of older or literal usages, and that Taiwan complied. He criticized Seoul for ignoring Taipei’s current request, argued that diplomacy rests on reciprocity and dignity, and urged Taiwan to assert control of its negotiation strategy.

The dispute began when South Korea introduced a new online entry-declaration system on Feb. 24 of last year to replace paper arrival cards and listed Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan).’ Lin acknowledged that Seoul had shown goodwill by postponing the planned full abolition of paper arrival cards, initially scheduled for this February. Still, Taipei has repeatedly called on the South Korean government to show respect by correcting the e-arrival system’s designation to ‘Taiwan’ as soon as possible.