Expanded from 8,319 to 9,389 characters
Supplementary report to the office at the time of birth registration
From now on, 1,070 Chinese characters that were previously not allowed to be used in names will be permitted.
On the 23rd, the Supreme Court announced that it will add 1,070 new Chinese characters for use in personal names (人名用) when registering births or changing names, effective from June 11.
The current number of Chinese characters allowed for use in names is 8,319, and with the addition of 1,070 characters, the total will increase to 9,389. Newly added personal name characters include ? (gol), ? (ryul), 疋 (a), and ? (tae). These personal name characters can be checked on the 'Personal Name Chinese Character Inquiry' screen after accessing the 'Electronic Family Relationship Registration System of the Republic of Korea Courts.'
For those whose birth registrations previously used non-personal name characters and currently have only their names recorded in Hangul in the family relationship register, if the newly added characters are included in their names, they can supplement their registration later at the family relationship registration office where the birth was originally registered to have their names recorded in Chinese characters.
The restriction on personal name Chinese characters was first established with the revision of the Family Register Act on December 31, 1990. The purpose was to alleviate inconveniences caused by using uncommon or difficult Chinese characters in names.
Based on educational Chinese characters and those frequently used in names, 2,731 personal name characters were initially designated by Supreme Court regulations, and through 11 revisions every 2 to 3 years, the number of personal name characters has been steadily expanded.
China, which uses Chinese characters as its native script, limits the number of characters used to 3,500, and Japan restricts the use of 863 characters out of 2,999 commonly used characters as personal name characters, the Supreme Court reported.
The Supreme Court stated, "This revision represents the largest expansion since 2014, adding characters that were used in names before the personal name character restriction was established and recorded in the family relationship register, based on policy research."
It added, "With this addition of personal name characters, practically all frequently used characters in names can now be used as personal name characters, broadening the choices available to the public and thereby better guaranteeing the naming rights of our citizens."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
