Seoul declares official English name of ‘Hangang River’

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that the official English name for the Han River is “Hangang River,” not “Han River,” as it prepares to host a launch ceremony for the city’s new water bus service next week.

The city government made the announcement Tuesday, noting the confusing usage of several versions for the name of its primary river. In fact, the English name “Hangang River” had been formally adopted in 2010 to avoid confusion and provide accurate naming for domestic and international tourists. This decision was part of a broader initiative to standardize foreign-language signage for facilities and promotional materials within the Hangang Parks.

The move aligns with guidelines set by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which issued a directive in 2020 to establish consistent rules for translating and spelling public terms. The rule mandates that natural place names should be entirely Romanized, followed by a descriptor of the place’s nature in English. For example, the Han River is now referred to as “Hangang River,” while Hallasan is officially designated as “Hallasan Mountain,” with “san” meaning a mountain in Korean.

Separately, Seoul officials revealed plans to launch two of the city’s eight Hangang River water buses in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. The full fleet will begin regular operation next March. A city official said the focus on the correct English name is part of ongoing efforts to ensure consistent promotion of the river and related events, including the water bus service. “We aim to establish the proper English designation for Hangang River through various initiatives,” the official added.


전혜진 기자 sunrise@donga.com