Korean Name Romanization (Hangul → English Name)
Write a Korean name in Roman letters by the official romanization rules, syllable by syllable as on passports, and see which spellings Korean passport holders use for each syllable.
Spellings on Korean passports, syllable by syllable
For the first name in the list. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs published how holders of valid passports spell 20 surnames and 100 given-name syllables (31 October 2024). Syllables not in that list show only their letters.
| Syllable | By the rules | Used on passports (share of holders) |
|---|
* Marked in the ministry's list as a spelling that may be changed because of its negative meaning in English.
How names are written
- The surname comes first and is followed by a space; the given name is written as one word, and a hyphen between its syllables is also allowed (Revised Romanization of Korean, chapter 3, article 4).
- Each syllable is written as it reads on its own, so sound changes between syllables are not shown: 복남 is Boknam and 빛나 is Bitna. Korean passports also romanize the registered name syllable by syllable (Enforcement Rule of the Passport Act, article 2-2).
- The romanization rules leave surnames to a separate rule that has not been issued. "Spelling most passport holders use" takes the most frequent spelling from the ministry's list of 20 surnames; other surnames are written letter by letter.
- Put a space after the surname. Without one, the first syllable is taken as the surname, so write two-syllable surnames such as 남궁 or 황보 with a space after them.
- Everything runs in your browser. The names you enter are not sent to LeedyBox or saved.
Source: 국어의 로마자 표기법 (문화체육관광부 고시 제2024-27호) · Last checked:
Source: 여권법 시행규칙 제2조의2 · Last checked:
Source: 외교부 고시 제2024-10호 · 로마자표기 성명의 정정 등이 제한되는 예시 목록 (2024-10-31) · Last checked:
Wrong result? If a syllable is romanized wrongly, email us the name, the options you chose and the spelling you expected, so we can fix it.
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How to use
- Type or paste one Korean name per line, with a space after the surname (홍길동 or 남궁 민수).
- Choose how the surname is written: the spelling most passport holders use (Kim) or letter by letter (Gim).
- Choose whether the given name is joined (Gildong), hyphenated (Gil-dong) or, for passports, spaced, and whether to write it in capitals.
- Copy the result. The table below shows, for the first name, how holders of Korean passports spell each syllable.
Frequently asked questions
How is a Korean name written in English letters?
By the Revised Romanization of Korean, the surname comes first, then a space and the given name as one word: 홍길동 is Hong Gildong, and Hong Gil-dong with the hyphen the rules allow. Korean passports print the name in capitals, HONG GILDONG, romanized syllable by syllable from the name in the family register.
Why is 김 written Kim and not Gim?
The rules leave the spelling of surnames to a separate rule that has not been issued, so there is no official spelling of a surname. Letter by letter, 김 is Gim, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs counted KIM on 99.55% of valid passports of people named 김 and GIM on 0.42% (31 October 2024). Choose "Letter by letter" if you want Gim.
Why is 복남 written Boknam, not Bongnam as it sounds?
Sound changes inside a name are not written. The rules give 한복남 as Han Boknam and 홍빛나 as Hong Bitna, although they are pronounced with [봉] and [빈]. Passports go further and romanize every syllable on its own, which is what this tool does.
Should I use a hyphen in the given name?
Both Gildong and Gil-dong are correct. A hyphen helps when the joined name can be read with another syllable break: Seoku could be 석우 or 서쿠, Seongi could be 선기 or 성이. On a Korean passport the given name can also be spaced, but changing an existing passport between these forms takes an application, and a visa issued in the old form may no longer be usable.
Can I change the English name on my Korean passport later?
Only for reasons the Enforcement Decree of the Passport Act lists, such as a spelling that clearly does not match the pronunciation, a legal change of name, matching the surname of family members travelling with you, adding a spouse's surname, a spelling with a negative meaning, or once after turning 18 for a name chosen as a minor. A spelling used by at least 50% or 10,000 holders of the same Hangul name cannot be changed on the ground that it does not match.
Is the name I enter sent anywhere?
No. The conversion runs in your browser, and the page does not save what you type.