KPC3672-1673: Korea-Switzerland Joint Issue

(News from 우정사업본부 / KoreaPost) On 9 September 2023 KoreaPost issued a joint stamp issue commemorating the link between Korea and Switzerland. The stamps were also issued in a minisheet of 4 x 4 stamps (16), at 430 won each. The stamps were printed by Cartor for POSA.

KoreaPost released the following English language text for this issue:

Korea and Switzerland have been cultivating friendship and carrying out bilateral exchanges in various areas such as politics, economy and culture ever since the establishment of diplomatic relationship in February 1963. This year is significant in that 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the two countries` diplomatic relationship as well as the 70th anniversary of Switzerland`s peacekeeping operations as a member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC). Together with Swiss Post, Korea Post is introducing Korea-Switzerland Joint Issue which features small traditional villages from each country, representing their friendly bilateral relations.

Oeam Village, located in Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, sits at the foot of Seolhwasan Mountain. In 1546 (1st year of King Myeongjong`s reign in the Joseon dynasty), Yi Sa-jong of the Yean Yi clan settled in Oeam Village, the home of his in-laws, and generations of the Yean Yi clan have lived there ever since. One of the most notable and symbolic figures of Oeam Village is `Oeam` Yi Gan, a late Joseon-era scholar and the fifth-generation descendant of Yi Sa-jong. Yi Gan is deeply related to the name of the village. There are two origin myths of the name: one claim says that the village was named after Yi Gan`s pen name `Oeam` and another claim says that Yi Gan chose his pen name after the name of the village. Today, 135 residents of 67 households live in Oeam Village, maintaining its tradition, culture and lifestyle that have been passed down since the Joseon dynasty. Oeam Village is under conservation, designated as a National Folklore Cultural Heritage.

Trub, located in the Emmental region of the canton of Bern, is a rural village that is mainly constituted of scattered farm houses and alpine meadows. It adjoins Entlebuch, a biosphere reserve designated by UNESCO, and even reaches all the way to the peak of Napf, the highest point of the Swiss plateau at 1,408 meters above sea level. Around 1125, a baron founded a monastery in Trub but it became disbanded in 1528 following the religious reform in Switzerland. Most people in Trub make a living out of farming, and the village, which was first developed in the 12th century, is currently registered in the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites (ISOS). Although the area is small, the village still well-preserves settlements of various types.

Despite the extremely far distance between the two villages of Oeam and Trub, what they share in common is the fact that they are both situated on a mountain with beautiful landscapes in the background. The joint stamp series presents a nice harmony between a view of ripening farmlands seen from the entrance of Oeam Village and a view of Trub where small houses are neatly gathered together in the heart of a mountain. We hope that the issuance of Korea-Switzerland Joint Issue serves as an opportunity for the two countries to promote further bilateral cooperation through a closer diplomatic relationship.

Details of issue

The following items are part of this issue:

Minisheet

FDCs

The following FDCs were issued for this series:

MaxiCards

The following MaxiCards were issued for this series:

Information Leaflet

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