Calling a president by his or her initials

For a soldier at boot camp, the most confusing experience is probably not being called the name he has had for more than 20 years. All new recruits in the nation`s mandatory military service are referred to by numbers, like "Private No. 56." This can further fuel a soldier`s isolation from society. Unknown and uncrowned politicians probably feel even more isolation. In personnel reshuffle and election periods, they are desperate for media attention in any section except the obituary section. Name and titles constitute the very meaning of their existence.

In the Korea of the 1950s and 60s, politicians were called by their pen names. Examples are Woonam Rhee Syng-man, Baekbeom Kim Gu, Haegong Shin Ik-hui, Yooseok Cho Byeong-ok and Jooksan Cho Bong-am. People were also called "Dr. Lee" or "Dr. Cho" since few Koreans had doctorates back then. In the 1970s under the authoritative government, politicians started to be called by his or her given name`s English initials. "H.R." stood for former intelligence director Lee Hoo-rak and "J.P." stood for former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil. Influential figures in the now-defunct Republican Party were called by the English initials of their first names in a show of secrecy. Former President Park Chung-hee was called "P.P.," referring to President Park. Following the era of the "three Kims," former President Kim Young-sam was called "Y.S.," his successor Kim Dae-jung "D.J." and the previous President Lee Myung-bak "M.B." D.J. had the pen name Hoogwang and Y.S. had Geosan, but their pen names were hardly known since media preferred to use their initials.

In the U.S., President John F. Kennedy was called JFK, but calling politicians by their initials was not prevalent there. Americans use initials for taboo words or when doing things in secret. Presidents are called by code names for security and protocol. In Korea, when someone is called by their first name`s initials, this means that he or she is a key government member. Certain leading members of political parties tell the media their first name`s initials and ask them to refer to them that way.

President Park Geun-hye has ordered that she be called President Park instead of "G.H." or P.P., something she did not demand before becoming president. Her predecessors Kim Dae-jung, Kim Young-sam and Lee never commented on their initials. Nicknames and initials are created by people and media. They are not things the president can order and even if he or she does, change will not come overnight. G.H. also stands for "great harmony" to some people. If the president is loved by the public, the meaning of her initials will also gain credit.

Editorial Writer Park Yong (parky@donga.com)