KPC3427-3434: Science and Technology that Lead Korea

Korean science and technology have uplifted the status of the nation with world-leading innovations and economic growth that have led to enriching the standard of living. Korea Post has published eight commemorative stamps with the theme `Science and Technology that Lead Korea` to provide the opportunity to celebrate the monumental accomplishments of the country`s most distinguished scientific achievements.

Research activities officially began with the organized governmental support in the forms of the department overseeing the science and technology development, as well as the research and development institutions, starting in the 1960s. In the 1970s, the structure of the National Science and Technology Development Agency solidified, which enabled the country to solve the food shortages. After many years of research by the Rural Development Administration, Tongil rice was developed in 1971, which achieved the goal of providing a self-sufficient, primary food source. In addition, the completion of the Pohang No. 1 blast furnace in the steel sector led the nation`s first integrated steelworks to establish the foundation for Korea to become a manufacturing powerhouse.

The governments promotion policy of the heavy chemical industry fueled the exponential growth of the shipbuilding industry. In November 1974, Hyundai Heavy Industries successfully delivered the 260,000-ton tanker, Atlantic Baron, to Ribanos, Greece, which in turn became a springboard for Korea to become a new shipbuilding powerhouse. The 1980s was a time when research activities became more active nationwide, and the technology development system was expanded. As a latecomer to the semiconductor industry, Korea was able to develop 4MB DRAM not long after the industry leaders, and the subsequent development of 16MB and 64MB DRAMs placed the country as the leader among the worlds most prominent semiconductor players.

It had also taken the world out of the horror of the pandemic hemorrhagic fever. The cause of hemorrhagic fever, which had been unknown for decades, was discovered by Dr. Ho Wang Lee in 1976, from the striped field mouse found on the Hantaan river banks. Dr. Lee successfully separated the bacteria causing the disease and was able to develop the worlds first vaccine against hemorrhagic fever, the Hantaan virus vaccine.

In the 1990s, the goal of developing cutting-edge technology resulted in a range of activities, such as the G7 Project and other national strategic initiatives. KAIST conducted research to secure its satellite technology with government funding which began in 1990, and in June of 1992, KAIST succeeded in launching Koreas first satellite, KITSAT-1. From that moment on, KAIST successfully launched two other satellites, KITSAT-2 and KITSAT-3, a dramatic turnaround that raises the technology level to 90% of that of the developed countries. In 1994, the Korean standard nuclear power plant design technology specific to the characteristics of the seashore, geology, and industrial standards were developed, and this internalized safe and secure operational technology. This led to the independence of nuclear power plant technology and the export of such technology. Within two years of the R&D, LG Chem introduced the mass-production manufacturing technology of the rechargeable lithium battery in 1998, contributing to Koreas competitiveness in the global automotive battery market.

South Korea has risen to be part of the top ten economies in the world based on the development of science and technology in the face of desolate land and resource constraints. We hope our commemorative stamps will let you take a moment to thank the men and women of the science and technology field who continue to make it all possible.