Family Names May Be Spelled As They Sound in Korea

In Korea, surnames starting with lateral consonants like Ryu, La, or Lee have been spelled Yu, Na, or Yi in the national census register according to Supreme Court regulation, but now people will be allowed to make their own choices regarding the spelling of their surnames.

The Supreme Court of Korea announced yesterday that the regulations on surnames in census registration would be revised starting next month.

Not all people with those surnames, however, have free choice. Only those who have spelled their family names as they sound in the past will be allowed to keep it that way on their family register.

Since the old registration regulations took effect in October 1996, all surnames beginning with liquid sounds, such as Lee, Lim, Ryu, Ryuk, Lyang, La, Ryo, Ryeom, Roh, and Ryong have been registered as Yi, Yim, Yu, Yuk, Yang, Na, Yeo, Yeom, No, and Yong.

Some families, including the Ryus and Las, have been protesting against the regulation, saying it infringes upon their human rights, and filed a lawsuit.

“Surnames are proper nouns representing people’s bloodlines,” said the Supreme Court. “Forcing spelling regulations on people who use their surnames as they were in their everyday lives can constitute an infringement of their personal rights.”

Those who want to change their surnames in the family register can file a request. The persons concerned or their direct ancestors or descendants may file the applications on behalf of them, but the main family member cannot file an application for the entire kin group.

will71@donga.com