KPC3471-3472: Korea-Russia Joint Issue

New Releases ROK

(News from 우정사업본부 / KoreaPost) On 15 December 2020 KoreaPost issued a set of stamps jointly issued with Russia. Both stamps show bears, one for Russia (the Ursus arctos arctos) and one for Korea (the Ursus thibetanus ussuricus). The Ussuri black bear (Ursus thibetanus ussuricus), also known as the Manchurian black bear, is a large subspecies of the Asian black bear native to the Far East, including the Korean Peninsula. The Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) is one of the most common subspecies of the brown bear, and is found in much of Eurasia. It is also known as the European brown bear, common brown bear, common bear, and colloquially by many other names.

KoreaPost released the stamps in a souvenir stamp sheet containing 16 stamps (4×4) of 380 won each in two designs, printed by Southern Colour Print for POSA:

KPC3471-3472 full sheet

Stamps

The details of the stamps as listed at the time of this publication:

한국-러시아 공동우표

우표번호3471
종수2
발행량672,000(전지 42,000장)
디자인반달가슴곰
인쇄 및 색수평판 / 4도
전지구성4 × 4
디자이너정은영
발행일2020. 12. 15.
액면가격380원
우표크기35mm× 35mm
인면32mm × 32mm
천공14¼ × 14¼
용지평판원지
인쇄처POSA (Southern Colour Print)

 

한국-러시아 공동우표

우표번호3472
종수2
발행량672,000(전지 42,000장)
디자인불곰
인쇄 및 색수평판 / 4도
전지구성4 × 4
디자이너정은영
발행일2020. 12. 15.
액면가격380원
우표크기35mm × 35mm
인면32mm × 32mm
천공14¼ × 14¼
용지평판원지
인쇄처POSA (Southern Colour Print)

FDCs

KoreaPost showed this cancellation for the FDC for this series:

KPC3471-3472 FDC cancellation

Combined with the stamps and the special envelope this created this set of FDCs:

KPC3471-3472 FDCs

KoreaPost released this text for this release:

This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Russia. Before establishing diplomatic ties, both countries have maintained a relationship as neighboring countries sharing the border since 1860. Korea Post is issuing the commemorative stamp Korea-Russia Joint Issue featuring the Asiatic black bear and the European brown bear in honor of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Russia.

The Asiatic black bear, which bears a white crescent-shaped patch on the chest while its body is covered in black fur, once lived throughout the Korean Peninsula along the Baekdudaegan mountain range. The number of Asiatic black bears, however, declined greatly due to colonial Japan`s policy to “protect the people from dangerous animals” and poaching continued endlessly to collect their bile, which has brought them to the brink of extinction. As the number of Asiatic black bears dropped sharply, Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MOE) designated them as class Ⅰ endangered wildlife in 2005, and has since protected them. Furthermore, the MOE started a restoration project that introduced 6 Asiatic black bears from Russia and released them in Jirisan National Park in 2004, and the project is considered a best practice to restoring biological species. While it is difficult for Asiatic black bears to live more than 20 years in the wild, their lifespan reaches 20-30 years when bred in captivity. They can grow as tall at 130-190 cm, weight as much as 150-200 kg, and run up to 50 km despite their huge body.

The European brown bear, colloquially referred to as “big bear” for their large and heavy body, is a quite familiar animal in Russia. Russia is home to the largest number of European brown bears to the extent that more than 100,000 European brown bears live across the country. They are mostly covered in brown fur, but some have black fur. Their head looks sharper than the Asiatic black bear with their shorter face, broader forehead, and smaller ears. They can grow as tall as 190-280 cm, and weigh as much as 450 kg, usually 400 kg for males while 200 kg for females. The lifespan of European brown bears, which live across Eurasia and North America, is appropriately 50 years.

While Russia is a key country for Korea and its New Northern Policy, Korea is a key country for economic development in the Far East for Russia. Looking at the poise of the Asiatic black bear and European brown bear in this Korea-Russia joint issue, we are picturing a brighter future of more close bilateral exchange.

New issue leaflet

The new issue leaflet:

KPC3471-3472 New Issue Leaflet

All relevant text and images in page copyright: 우정사업본부 / KoreaPost

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Ivo Spanjersberg
Currently KSS Publisher/Webmaster, previously KSS Chairman (2018-2019). Living in Amsterdam. I collect Korean revenue stamps, see my website:
http://www.spanjersberg.net

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