"Why Is It Called 'Chinese New Year' in English When Korea Also Celebrates It?"... Professor Seo Kyungduk Proposes Campaign

Campaign to Change "Chinese New Year" to "Lunar New Year"
Professor Seo Kyungduk advocates for accurate recognition of the holiday across Asia

The appearance of Lunar New Year marked as 'Chinese New Year' on Google Calendar (left) and the depiction of 'Chinese Lunar Calendar' on the Lunar New Year commemorative stamp issued by the UN last year. / Photo by Seokyungdeok Professor

[Asia Economy, reporter Na Yeeun] Professor Seo Kyungduk of Sungshin Women's University, who is widely promoting Korean history and culture around the world, is launching a campaign to change the Western expression of Lunar New Year as "Chinese New Year."

According to Professor Seo on January 28, as the Lunar New Year holiday approaches, Western platforms such as Google Calendar are labeling Lunar New Year in English as "Chinese New Year."

Professor Seo pointed out, "Major cities in the West have traditionally held large events in their Chinatowns to celebrate Lunar New Year," adding, "Because of this, the holiday has often been introduced in news coverage as 'Chinese New Year,' leading to this perception."

He argued, "Lunar New Year is not a holiday exclusive to China. It is celebrated by various Asian countries, including Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines, so it is appropriate to refer to it as 'Lunar New Year.'"

He especially highlighted, "Last year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a congratulatory message during a news broadcast on Lunar New Year's Day, saying, 'Happy Lunar New Year. Gamsahamnida.' The official website also features greetings for the holiday from different countries, which is a good example."

This campaign will be conducted by encouraging overseas Koreans and international students to report instances where the holiday is labeled as "Chinese New Year" to Professor Seo's Instagram account, so that these cases can be corrected.