Kim Jong-un's regime has ordered theNorth Korean people to change their names and that of their children with patriotic names that are ideologically more fit, line ‘gun’, ‘bomb’, and ‘satellite’.
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No more softer vowels
Before the new government rule, North Koreans were able to choose between names ending with softer vowels.
Some of those names included A Ri (loved one) and Su Mi (super beauty), with many similarities to names used in South Korea, the Daily Mail reports.
Kim Jong-un's regime wants to stop similarities with their southern neighbour, or as North Korean officials are describing it the 'decadent Western Yankee culture'.
For this reason, parents and their children are obliged to change their names to more ideological and militaristic ones if they are not 'revolutionary enough'.
According to RFA, Now names such as Chung Sim (loyalty), Chong Il (gun), Pok Il (bomb) or Ui Song (satellite) are advised.
Revolted residents
According to many reports, the matter about changing names has been regularly being raised at local resident meetings since October, and officials have been threatening fines for those who will not abide, Mirror reports.
The order has significantly angered ordinary citizens, some of who have been quoted expressing ‘strong disapproval’, RFA reports.
‘the tyranny of the authorities who force collectivism. How can humans not be allowed to name themselves? Are we actually mechanical parts or livestock?’
Sources used:
-DailyMail: ‘North Korea orders parents to name their children 'bomb', 'gun', 'satellite' or other suitably 'patriotic' words’
-RFA: ‘North Korea forcing citizens to change their names to sound more ideological’
-Mirror: ‘North Korea tells parents to give kids patriotic name like “bomb”, “gun” and “satellite”’
