Could North Korea change its name?

While the details were not disclosed, North Korea this month amended its constitution, presumably to formalize Kim Jong-un's decision to abandon reunification.

It followed up immediately with an announcement that it was cutting the only road and rail connections with us here in the South, which although not used, have served for some years as a symbol of hope.

To a world that takes constitutions very seriously, this kind of change, not to mention other actions taken this year, such as renaming of streets and the removal of references to reunification from school textbooks, has the appearance of serious government intent backed by the people.

But North Korea can’t really be viewed this way. It is a one-man dictatorship. There is a lethal frivolity to decision-making. Kim’s father Kim Jong-il once asked his aides why all boys of a certain age had shaved heads and was told that, driving in the countryside a year earlier, he had pointed out some kids with scruffy hair. The haircut instruction went out nationwide in his name. He didn’t remember this.

The country is still run on one man’s declarations and perceived instructions. Nothing is deliberated from the perspective of national interest.

As evidence, note that the decision to amend the constitution taken at a session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly Oct. 7 and 8 in Pyongyang was unanimous, according to state media. What united the delegates was not the merit of giving up on South Korea, but the not-insignificant desire to avoid execution.

Given this, it’s possible that Kim may change his mind, especially if America and South Korea are nice to him. Or, when he exits the scene, whenever and however that happens, there may well be an immediate return to the default posture in which national reunification is front and center as the deeply felt historical imperative.

This certainly seems to be the assumption of the government and opposition in South Korea. They have hardly commented, let alone proposed any policy changes. This itself may seem remarkable, but it makes some sense. Authorities here probably think Kim is throwing a hissy fit and fear that anything they say risks prodding him to double down.

That said, as Kim may rule for decades, we can’t ignore this. With that in mind, what might happen next that could indicate seriousness?

My guess, and prediction if Kim means business, is that North Korea will change its name. Or to be more precise, it would ask the world to call it what it already calls itself.

Most readers will know this, but, for the benefit of those overseas, North Korea’s real name is Chosun. South Korea also has its own name. It is Hankuk. Close Asian neighbors use these names in their own languages.

Chosun and Hankuk are what are known as endonyms — our own name for our territory. The word Korea is an exonym, a name used by outsiders.

Korea is not only used in English, but also in Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Faroese, Finnish, German, Greek, Indonesian, Malay, Maltese, Norwegian, Swedish and Tagalog. The Italians, Romanians, Spanish and Welsh use Corea, while the French say Corée, the Portuguese say Coreia and the Thais say Kaoli. If you speak Esperanto, you’ll call it Koreio. Bulgarians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Russians, Serbians and Slovenes use Koreja, and the Inuktitut say Kuri. All distinguish between the two sides by adding North or South in their own language.

Why do we go along with this? Do we use Korea because Koreans were oppressed by colonial powers and have no choice? No, it is because the North and South Koreans ask the world to call them this. The two rivals disagree about almost everything, but this is one thing they’re united on.

There is a good reason. From the start in 1948, both Korean states claimed to be the real thing and committed themselves to recover the “illegitimately held” other side. To achieve this, each needed as much of the world on its side as possible. To their allies, they said, “We are Koreans. Those imposters over there are from a region (ie north or south) of our country.”

It would be hard to argue that case if the countries had totally different names.

Will North Korea submit a name-change to the United Nations? It has every right to. Since the two Koreas were born, Burma, Ceylon, East Pakistan, Czech Republic, Turkey, Siam, Swaziland, Holland and the Republic of Macedonia have done it.

If North Korea becomes Chosun, the change will signify that it really has developed a new identity and no longer wants to ever be joined up with South Korea.

Right now, though, despite constitutional changes and ripping up rail lines, the assumption on this side is this will not happen.

Michael Breen (mike.breen@insightcomms.com) is the author of "The New Koreans."