Gov't allows English name change for passports

The new rule applies to passport names that were made before the age of 18. / Yonhap

By Jung Min-ho

The government will allow people to change the English spelling of their names on passports.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday a new ordinance has come into force that gives Korean citizens an opportunity to change the English spelling of their passport names ― but just once.

The rule applies to passport names that were made before the age of 18.

But there are limits to what is allowed. For example, “Jun-ho” can be revised to “Joon-ho,” but not to “Jin-ho.”

The ministry said parents usually decide which Roman letters to use for their children's passport names, which some children later do not like.

“The purpose of the new policy is to guarantee the people's right to pursue their happiness by allowing them to revise their names that were made regardless of their will,” the ministry said.