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When I type in 韓国 in Google, I find South Korea. But when I use Google
Translate, I find just Korea. I recently read a Japanese news article where
they refer 韓国 as South Korea (I think).

So what is the right way to write "South Korea", and what will "Korea as a
whole" be?
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question
words etymology
Does 韓国 mean "South Korea" or "Korea as a whole"?
The origin of the word "Korea" is 高麗(こうらい), which was a nation that existed
from 918 to 1392. In that era, North Korea and South Korea were one country.

Now, we commonly call South Korea 韓国 and North Korea 北朝鮮(きたちょうせん). The English
name of South Korea is Republic of Korea and that of North Korea is Democratic
People's Republic of Korea.
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answer
I am Japanese.  

**Generally, Japanese people use...**

> 韓国{かんこく}(kan koku) is South Korea.
>
> 北朝鮮{きたちょうせん}（kita tyousen） is North Korea.

大韓民国{だいかんみんこく}（dai kan min koku） is the South Korea's official name.  
韓国{かんこく}(kan koku) is an abbreviation of 大韓民国{だいかんみんこく}（dai kan min koku）.  

北朝鮮{きたちょうせん}（kita tyousen） means North(北{きた}) Korea（朝鮮{ちょうせん}）.  
The North Korea's official name is 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国{ちょうせんみんしゅしゅぎじんみんきょうわこく}（tyousen
minsyusyugi jinmin kyouwakoku）.  

**Other term**

> 朝鮮{ちょうせん}（tyousen）, Korea  
>  朝鮮半島{ちょうせんはんとう}（tyousen hantou）, Korean Peninsula  
>  朝鮮戦争{ちょうせんせんそう}（tyousen sensou）, Korean war
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answer
There's some interesting history to why Korea is called by two different names
depending on which Korea you're referring to.

As some other answers have mentioned already, each Korea is referred to by
different names.

Apologies for the spacing, emphasis isn't playing nicely with me today.

**_North Korea_** :

> 北{きた} **朝鮮｛ちょうせん｝** (Short for: **朝鮮{ちょうせん}** 民主主義人民共和国{みんしゅしゅぎじんみんきょうわこく})
>
> North Korea (Short for: Democratic People's Republic of Korea)

This name is derived from the 조선 (朝鮮, Joseon) dynasty (the first one, often
referred to as Gojoseon).

**_South Korea_** :

> **韓国{かんこく}** (Short for: 大{だい} **韓｛かん｝** 民｛みん｝ **国｛こく｝** )
>
> South Korea (Short for: Republic of Korea)

This name is derived from 한국 (韓國, Hanguk) name that South Korean people call
themselves (people of "Han", or, the Han dynasty that defeated the Gojoseon
dynasty that resulted in the 삼한 (三韓, Samhan), the three kingdoms of ancient
Korea)

**_Unified Korea_** :

> 高麗｛こうらい｝

This name comes from the 고려 (高麗, Goryeo) name that Koreans gave their unified
nation during the Common era of Korea.
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answer