TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said on Tuesday that Taiwan will temporarily refrain from changing South Korea’s label in its e-arrival card system.

The foreign ministry demanded a response from Seoul by Tuesday after it changed Taiwan’s name to “China, Taiwan” in its e-arrival card system last year.

Hsiao said at a press conference that South Korea is conducting internal administrative and technical reviews to update its e-arrival card system to make it easier for international travelers. In the hope that South Korea will fix Taiwan’s label in its system, Taiwan will temporarily hold off on a reciprocal response, he said.

Taiwan already changed the country’s name in its Alien Resident Certificate system from “Republic of Korea” to “South Korea” earlier this month. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said last week that South Korea asked Taiwan to use “Seoul” instead of “Hancheng” and “Republic of Korea” instead of “South Korea” more than a decade ago, and Taiwan complied. However, South Korea has now ignored Taiwan’s requests.

Lin emphasized that diplomacy is about reciprocity and dignity, and Taiwan must take control of its negotiation strategy.

The foreign minister also revealed that when Taiwan’s delegation attended last year’s APEC summit in Gyeongju, the South Korean government did not communicate directly with Taiwan’s representative office in Korea. It relayed messages indirectly through its representative office in Taipei instead, which he described as condescending.