Taipei: Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung announced on Thursday that the nation is awaiting an official response from South Korea regarding an ongoing dispute over the proper listing of Taiwan's name in South Korea's new online immigration entry system. The issue arose when the system labeled Taiwan as "China (Taiwan)," a move that has sparked numerous complaints from Taiwanese travelers.

According to Focus Taiwan, the controversy began with the introduction of South Korea's new online immigration system on February 24, 2025. In retaliation, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) decided to alter the name of South Korea on government-issued alien resident certificates, changing it from "Republic of Korea" to "South Korea." MOFA emphasized that this action was taken based on "the principle of reciprocity."

MOFA further warned that if South Korea does not amend its listing of Taiwan by March 31, Taiwan will reciprocate by modifying its online immigration entry system to refer to South Korea as "South Korea," instead of its official name. Lin expressed hope that these countermeasures would prompt a positive response from South Korea and emphasized the importance of listening to Taiwanese public opinion.

The South Korean foreign ministry has acknowledged Taiwan's actions, with a spokesperson stating that they are considering all factors and engaging in discussions with relevant agencies. Lin highlighted that Seoul had previously shown goodwill by delaying the termination of its paper arrival cards, initially set for February.

Taiwan remains firm in its stance, urging Seoul to respect its sovereignty by correcting the listing to "Taiwan." Despite repeated requests from MOFA, there has been no positive response from South Korea, and Taiwan continues to press for a resolution to the mislabeling issue.