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Park administration advices word spacing for its name

Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday announced the “proper word spacing” for President Park’s administration.

“BakgeunhyeJeongbu (Park Geun-hye Government) should be spelled out as one word, not Bakgeunhye (Park Geun-hye), space and then Jeongbu(Government),” presidential spokeswoman Kim Haing told a group of reporters Thursday. The Park Geun-hye government is the official title of Park administration.

She explained that the National Institute of the Korean Language confirmed that BakgeunhyeJeongbu is a proper noun and thus be spelled as one word.

The clarification took place while the presidential office announced its prospects and basis of governance.

According to Kim, Park administration’s seeks to build “a new world of hope (Sae sidae),” and its four bases are “economic recovery (GyeongjaeBuheung),” “happiness of people (Gukminhangbok),” “prospering culture (Munhwayungseong),” and “building a foundation for peaceful reunification (Pyeonghwatongil Giban Guchuk).”

Sae sidae should be spelled as two words, Sa (new) Sidae (world); Pyeonghwatongil should be spelled as one word and, and Pyeonghwatongil Giban Guchuk is spelled as two word.

This is the first time in history that a presidential office has clarified the appropriate word spacing for its name. The move prompted series of negative responses from online.

“Spokeswoman Kim teaching Korean? Wow, they must have NOTHING better to do,” scoffed one Twitter user.

“That’s what you’re concerned about? North Korea’s threatening us. Do your job, for God’s sake!” another user added.

One Twitter user even expressed his confusion at the name “Park Geun-hye Government.”

“Shouldn’t it be called Korean government instead of Park Geun-hye Government? In U.S. they say ‘U.S. government,’ and ‘Obama administration.’ It’s weird that we put president’s name in front of government.”

By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)