Key Facts
- Hangul: 북한; Revised Romanization: bukhan; pronounced [bu-kan]
- Part of speech: proper noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 北韓 (北 north + 韓 Korea)
- Register: the neutral term used in South Korea; formal documents may use the official name 조선민주주의인민공화국
North Korea in Korean: What Does 북한 Mean?
북한 means North Korea, literally "north Han (Korea)". It is the word you hear in South Korean news, schools and conversation. Its counterpart is 남한, South Korea, which is used mainly when the two are contrasted; in everyday speech South Koreans call their own country 한국. Together, the two halves of the peninsula are 남북한.
How Do You Pronounce 북한?
The spelling suggests buk-han, but the ㄱ and the ㅎ merge into one aspirated k sound, with a puff of air: [bu-kan]. Revised Romanization follows the spelling in names, so it is still written bukhan.
Example Sentences with 북한
북한은 한국의 북쪽에 있어요.
Bukhaneun hangugui bukjjoge isseoyo
North Korea is north of South Korea.
한국의 북쪽에 means "on the north side of Korea". Here 한국 refers to South Korea, as it usually does in South Korean speech.
북한 뉴스를 봤어요.
Bukhan nyuseureul bwasseoyo
I watched news about North Korea.
북한 뉴스 means news about North Korea, and 봤어요 is the past tense of "see" or "watch".
북한 사람들도 한국어를 써요.
Bukhan saramdeuldo hangugeoreul sseoyo
North Koreans also speak Korean.
사람들도 means "people, too", and 한국어를 써요 literally says they "use Korean".
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 북한 사람 | North Korean person |
| 남북한 | North and South Korea |
| 북한 뉴스 | news about North Korea |
| 북한 음식 | North Korean food |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: pronouncing 북한 as [buk-han], with a separate k and h.
Correct: [bu-kan], with one aspirated k. Also, 북한산 is a mountain in Seoul, not a place in North Korea.
북한 Compared with Similar Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 북한 | North Korea | This page's word |
| 남한 | South Korea | Used to contrast with 북한; 한국 is the usual everyday name |
| 한국 | Korea (South) | The everyday South Korean name for South Korea |
| 북한산 | Bukhansan | A mountain in Seoul, unrelated to North Korea |
Where Does the Word Come From?
北韓 combines 北 (north) and 韓 (Han, Korea). It is a South Korean name: North Korea itself uses 조선 (Joseon).
Cultural Note
Names for the two Koreas are politically sensitive. North Korea calls itself 조선, while 북한 is the South Korean term, so the word a speaker chooses can signal their point of view.
Choosing a Presentation Topic
Two classmates are deciding what to cover in a geography presentation. They use ordinary polite Korean.
Sora
발표 주제가 뭐예요?
Balpyo jujega mwoyeyo?
What’s your presentation topic?
Minho
북한 음식이에요.
Bukhan eumsigieyo.
It’s North Korean food.
Sora
평양냉면도 소개해요?
Pyeongyangnaengmyeondo sogaehaeyo?
Are you introducing Pyongyang cold noodles too?
Minho
네, 사진도 보여 줄 거예요.
Ne, sajindo boyeo jul geoyeyo.
Yes, I’m going to show photos too.
북한 음식 places the country name before the thing being discussed. There is no extra adjective ending equivalent to English ‘North Korean’. 도 means ‘also’, so the classmates can add a dish and photos to the plan without repeating the whole topic.
How Does 북한 Combine with Other Nouns?
북한 음식 means North Korean food, and 북한 사람 means a North Korean person. Korean can place a country name directly before another noun without adding an adjective ending. The relationship depends on the second noun: food associated with a country, a person from it, or news about it.
북한 뉴스 needs context. It can mean news about North Korea, as in the example above, or news originating there when the speaker is discussing different broadcasts. The two-word phrase alone does not identify the broadcaster. Listen for the surrounding verb or the name of the outlet before choosing an English translation.
남북한 groups South and North Korea together. Notice the Korean order: 남, south, comes before 북, north. English often says ‘North and South Korea’, so a natural translation may reverse the order without changing the reference. 남북 관계 means inter-Korean relations; 관계 is ‘relations’ or ‘relationship’.
Where Will You Encounter the Name?
South Korean television news and newspaper headlines use 북한 as an ordinary country name. A headline may be a short noun phrase rather than a complete sentence. Recognizing 북한 at the start helps you identify the subject area, but the following noun tells you whether the story concerns food, residents, language, or another topic.
In a language class, 북한 말 refers to the speech or vocabulary used in North Korea. 말 here means speech or language, rather than ‘a horse’, another meaning of the same spelling. 한국어 in the existing example is the South Korean label for the Korean language; 조선말 is a label used in North Korea.
북한 is not a rude or slang word in South Korean usage. A polite sentence can still use 북한 unchanged; politeness comes from the sentence ending. The full official name belongs in contexts that call for it, such as a formal list of state names. Ordinary conversation does not need that long name every time.
Geography and News Words to Learn Next
| Korean | Meaning | Reading note |
|---|---|---|
| 한반도 | Korean Peninsula | A geographic area, rather than one state. |
| 평양 | Pyongyang | A city name that can appear before a food name. |
| 남북 관계 | inter-Korean relations | A common news topic built on south + north. |
| 국경 | national border | A general geography word, not a country name. |
The geography vocabulary lesson gives you the wider location set. Keeping countries, cities, landforms, and borders separate makes short news phrases easier to unpack.
Quick Self-Test
- How do you say ‘North Korean food’?
- Which comes first in 남북한: north or south?
- Does 북한 뉴스 always identify the broadcaster?
Show answers
- 북한 음식, with the country name directly before 음식.
- South: 남 comes before 북.
- No. It can describe the topic or the source; context tells you which.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "North Korea" in Korean?
Say 북한 (bukhan), pronounced [bu-kan].
How is 북한 pronounced?
As [bu-kan]. The ㄱ and ㅎ merge into one aspirated k sound.
Is 북한산 in North Korea?
No. 북한산 is a mountain in Seoul.
What is North Korea's official name?
The official name is 조선민주주의인민공화국, and North Korea calls itself 조선 for short.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: geography vocabulary groups 북한 with other places.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Compare: Korea in Korean.