KPC3388-3390: 380 / 470 / 2180 won values (regular issues)

On May 1, 2019, the price of definitive Postage stamps will increase by 50 won to 380 won for first-class standard mail weighing 5g to 25g, 470 won for non-standard mail weighing up to 50g, and 2,180 won for registered mail weighing 5g to 25g. Therefore, on July 1, 2019, Korea Post will issue three newly designed definitive stamps that reflect such a change in the prices.

The 380 won first-class definitive stamp will feature the Taegeukgi, Korea s national flag. At the center of Taegeukgi s white background is Taegeuk, which symbolizes the birth of all beings in the universe and the harmony of yin and yang. The trigrams on the four corners each symbolize heaven, earth, water, and fire. King Gojong proclaimed the Taegeukgi to be the national flag in 1883, which was then officially declared by the Korean government in 1949.

The 470 won definitive stamp for non-standard mail will bear the image of Mugunghwa, Korea s national flower. Mugunghwa, also known as the Rose of Sharon, is a five-petaled flower that opens with the sun and closes at night. Aptly enough, the name mugung, which means everlasting, originated from the flower s virtue of persistence, as these immensely stunning blooms burst open every morning for about 100 days in summer. Such a trait of the flower is said to resemble Korean s diligence, and the flower also symbolizes eternal glory.

The 2,180 won definitive stamp for registered mail will display the image of Byeon Sang-byeok’s Cat and Chrysanthemums in Autumn. Byeon Sang-byeok (1730~1775) was a portrait painter from the late Joseon period who was also renowned for his superb skills in painting animals. The painting, which depicts a cat crouching next to a chrysanthemum on an autumn s day, conveys the wish for longevity and a carefree life and is famous for its incredibly realistic depiction of a cat.