The Ministry of Unification stated that it views the recent calls from religious circles and other groups to refer to North Korea as "Joseon" as "part of the process of building public consensus on the issue of how to address North Korea's official state name."

During a regular briefing at the Government Complex Seoul, Jang Yoon Jeong, Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, commented on the "Declaration for Peaceful Coexistence and Mutual Respect on the Korean Peninsula" released yesterday by leaders of seven major religious denominations. She stated, "We are paying attention to the message delivered by the religious community to the public regarding the mutual use of official state names for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula."

Deputy Spokesperson Jang added, "We are also observing the trend of various sectors expressing their agreement following the announcement," and noted, "We will closely monitor this process and listen broadly to the voices from all walks of life."

The Council of Religious Leaders of Korea held a press conference yesterday, stating that "peace begins with respecting the other's name," and argued that for the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula, both South and North Korea should respect and use each other's official state names.

Kang Chang-il, Executive Vice-Chair of the National Unification Advisory Council, expressed his agreement in a personal statement, saying, "If North Korea calls us the 'Republic of Korea,' it is logical for us to call North Korea the 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea.'"

(Photo: Yonhap News)