Public discussion should precede any move by the South Korean government to refer to North Korea by its official name, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Unification Minister Chung Dong-young told an advisory council after his controversial remarks last week prompted a warning from President Lee Jae Myung.

“Keeping the president’s remarks firmly in mind, we will listen carefully to voices from all sectors of society and continue to review the relevant matters in a more sophisticated and nuanced manner,” a Unification Ministry spokesperson told NK News on Monday.

In South Korea, the North is generally referred to as North