U.N. stamp sheet marking the Year of the Snake / Courtesy of United Nations Postal Administration

The United Nations said it will not change the term "Chinese Lunar Calendar" to "Lunar Calendar" on its official stamp sheet issued to commemorate the annual holiday celebrated by various Asian cultures.

This decision comes after the special-event stamp sheet issued by the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) in January faced scrutiny in Korea for using the term "Chinese New Year" instead of "Lunar New Year," a more inclusive name that acknowledges the various Asian countries, including Korea, that observe the holiday.

"After our discussion and preliminary research, we think we should keep the title 'Chinese Lunar Calendar,'" an official at UNPA told The Korea Times earlier this week, in response to an email inquiry about whether there were plans to change the term in the future.

"This is because there are many different types of lunar calendars used around the world and they are very different from those used in China, Korea, Vietnam and overseas Chinese communities like the Islamic Hijri calendar, Javanese calendar and Thai calendar. These lunar calendars do not recognize the zodiac animals like the ones used by the Chinese, Korean and Vietnam," the official explained.

The official also noted, "Even the Korean and Vietnamese calendars, which are derived or influenced by the calendars, do not recognize or use the same zodiac animals as the Chinese."

In other words, the U.N. body has decided to retain the term because its stamp sheet marking the Year of the Snake specifically features Chinese zodiac animals for the series.

According to the UN Stamps website, the special event stamp sheet issued on Jan. 17 features 10 stamps to celebrate the Year of the Snake in accordance with the Chinese lunar calendar.

The artwork, which incorporates traditional Chinese elements and displays the U.N. logo, was illustrated by Chinese artist Tiger Pan. The artist also designed previous UNPA Lunar Calendar series stamps for the years of the dog in 2018, the tiger in 2022, the rabbit in 2023 and the dragon in 2024.

But Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University and an activist promoting Korean history and culture, argued that the U.N.'s response "misses the point."

"It's hard to understand the rationale for sticking to the term due to the design. By calling it the 'Chinese' lunar calendar, the international organization is undermining the holiday's regional diversity, which could lead to misperceptions that the holiday is observed only in China, when other countries, such as Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines, also celebrate it," Seo said.

"The U.N., as a major international organization, should lead efforts to respect diverse Asian cultures and raise awareness about this issue," said the professor, adding that he plans to lodge complaints with the international organization.

Notably, in December 2023, the U.N. designated Lunar New Year as a flexible holiday, recognizing the importance of the festival that is celebrated in many of its 193 member states.

This combined image shows Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse wearing traditional Korean attire known as hanbok, during an event to celebrate the Lunar New Year at Disneyland, left, and comments by Chinese internet users urging the U.S. theme park to use the term "Chinese New Year" on its official Instagram account. Courtesy of Seo Kyoung-duk

The terminology surrounding "Chinese New Year" has long been a subject of debate among Asian cultures.

The Lunar New Year, which fell on Jan. 29 this year, is known as "Seollal" in Korean and is observed in Asian countries including Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore — each with their own unique traditions, food and customs. Hence, many argue that Lunar New Year is a more inclusive term that recognizes these diverse cultures.

However, many supporters in China argue that the term "Chinese New Year" is appropriate, citing the holiday's roots in the Chinese lunar calendar.

This debate flared up again this year when Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse appeared at Disneyland in California dressed in traditional Korean attire known as hanbok, to deliver New Year greetings in January. The event was part of Disneyland's Lunar New Year celebration, which the U.S. theme park described as "inspired by Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese traditions."

This led to a backlash from some Chinese internet users, who flooded Disneyland's Instagram account with comments insisting that only "Chinese New Year" should be used to describe the holiday.