Why do some people insist on referring to North Korea by it's full official name?

[Yazman]

It seems a little pedantic and perhaps a little strange to me that so many people here insist on referring to North Korea as "DPRK", its full official name, yet I don't see anybody doing that for any other country (well, excepted for the USA I guess and sometimes China).

Y'all don't go around calling South Korea "ROK" or Venezuela "BRV". What the hell guys?

[Ostrinski]

Sometimes I use ROK. Also I pretty much always use US and PRC. For one, it's easier. It makes sense to use a popularly accepted shortening for something longer so you don't have to type the whole thing out.

Secondly, I'd say just because it's popular to do so. One wouldn't know what the hell you were talking about if you said BRV because it's never used. DPRK on the other hand, is used quite frequently. Therefore people know what you are talking about.

[p0is0n]

What Ostrinski is saying probably holds truth, but I've also noticed a trend amongst defenders of North Korea to refer to it by "DPRK" or "DPR Korea" or the full-on "Democratic People's Republic of Korea". I imagine probably because they don't recognize the divide, or because they dont fully recognize South Korea, or because they recognize only themselves (or if they are not North Koreans, the DPRK) to be the rightful Korean nation. I've heard arguments being made for the South being under military occupation by the U.S.

Perhaps people here relate to that in some way or another. Although I've found myself using "DPRK" many times, and I am not a supporter or a defender of North Korea.

Interesting thing about the divide being recognized: For example on North Korean passport art, the country isn't depicted as divided, but includes South Korea within its borders aswell.

[Ostrinski]

It should be noted that this is an internet phenomenon specifically.

Do you hear anyone in real life saying "Dee Pee Are Kay" or "Democratic People's Republic of Korea"? I don't.

[p0is0n]

It should be noted that this is an internet phenomenon specifically.

Do you hear anyone in real life saying "Dee Pee Are Kay" or "Democratic People's Republic of Korea"? I don't.
Indeed. It seems to go back to what you said earlier, because North Korea is easier to say than "Dee Pee Are Kay" or the whole thing. But I have never actually met anyone who supports North Korea IRL.

[Let's Get Free]

The definition of the word "democratic" according to the dictionary is "a system of government by the whole population of a state," and the definition of "republic" is "a state in which supreme power is held by the people," meaning that North Korea's full name means "People-ruled People's People-ruled State of Korea.

[o well this is ok I guess]

I pronounce it "derpk".
As everyone said, people who refer to it the full way probably support it in some capacity.
Also, I hear that if you're in North Korea they get pissy if you call it north korea.

[p0is0n]

I pronounce it "derpk".
As everyone said, people who refer to it the full way probably support it in some capacity.
Also, I hear that if you're in North Korea they get pissy if you call it north korea.
This is very true. I know of someone who visited North Korea, and he reported that the first few times they didn't necessarily mention it, but you got looks, and eventually they kindly asked him to refer to it as "Korea" or "DPRK". They (the North Koreans) refer to it as "Korea". You may already be aware, but one was also expected to refer to Kim-Jong Il as either Dear Leader or Supreme Leader, and Kim Il-Sung as Eternal President. Refering to either by name was considered disrespectful and you were asked to stop.

You also had to place some flowers at the feet of the statue of Kim Il-Sung and bow, at some point during the tour.

I figure visiting would be a pretty interesting experience, just expensive as shit, what with visas to both North Korea and China, hotel stays, airline tickets back and forth to both China and the DPRK, administration fees, the companys cut, eventual bribes, etc. Some day, perhaps.

[Fourth Internationalist]

I do sometimes. Either NK or DPRK. Also, mentioning that it is sometimes called the DPRK is also useful in debates against people who think NK is communist. "They call themselves democratic, but they aren't. They also themselves communist, but they aren't. You accept that they aren't democratic but why don't you accept that they aren't communist?" and then you can basically use that argument with Stalin, the USSR, Cuba, China etc.

[Paul Pott]

For the same reason USSR is sometimes used instead of Soviet Union.

[GoddessCleoLover]

DPRK requires fewer keystrokes. Brevity is the soul of wit.:D

[Il Medico]

USSR, GDR, PRC, DPRK, it's our thing man, abbreviations are totally leftist chic.

[hetz]

USSR, GDR, PRC, DPRK, it's our thing man, abbreviations are totally leftist chic.
It's an old thing. The Bolsheviks were very fond of abbreviations such as KomBed, GosZnak, NarKom and so on, that was Orwell's inspiration for Newspeak ( MiniLuv etc... ).

[A Revolutionary Tool]

NK is way easier then DPRK and that's what most people call it anyways.

[sixdollarchampagne]

The definition of the word "democratic" according to the dictionary is "a system of government by the whole population of a state," and the definition of "republic" is "a state in which supreme power is held by the people," meaning that North Korea's full name means "People-ruled People's People-ruled State of Korea.

I think Gladiator's helpful post brings to the light the enormous difference between North Korea's official name and the reality there, on the ground. Who elected the current leader? How many candidates were allowed to run against him? What is "democratic" or "belonging to the people" about a dynastic dictatorship? That's why I call it the People's Democratic Republic, because it isn't anything of the sort.

[Q]

I think Gladiator's helpful post brings to the light the enormous difference between North Korea's official name and the reality there, on the ground. Who elected the current leader? How many candidates were allowed to run against him? What is "democratic" or "belonging to the people" about a dynastic dictatorship? That's why I call it the People's Democratic Republic, because it isn't anything of the sort.

History is filled with these states. Take the Holy Roman Empire, which wasn't holy, Roman or an empire.

I doubt anyone was fooled by the name alone.