The initiative will lead to a universal enforcement of the system revised in 2000, in which Koreans are required to use their family name before their given names, in accordance with the National Institute of the Korean Language.

Since the 2000 ruling, several South Korean athletes have continued to use the initials of their given name before their family names in international competition – at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, for instance, baseball player Kim Hyun-Soo wore the name H S Kim on his uniform – but this will no longer be allowed at the Games.

Other name variations, such as the one favoured at the Beijing Games by Olympic swimmer Park Tae-Hwan (pictured), who wore Park T H on the back of his tracksuit, have also been standardised.

In London,  Park – who will be defending his 400 metres freestyle title – will be required to spell his name either Park Taehwan or Park Tae-Hwan, which can be shortened to Park T in case of initialisation.

Anglicised South Korean names have baffled observers for years, with broadcasters being particularly vulnerable to confusion at key moments.

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