North Korean stamps are fascinating items for any collector. They are known for their bold, colorful, and highly political designs. But to truly appreciate them, you have to look beyond the surface. The language and symbols used are often packed with ideological meaning that can be easily lost in translation.
Let’s take a closer look at this 2009 stamp (KSC #4604A, Scott #4814, originally issued 22 February 2009, later that year surcharged) to see what it can teach us about North Korean art, politics, and the tricky art of translation.
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I’m curious about who the writer is, maybe someone who cannot understand Korean. I’m not going to challenge, just correct some errors. I have to say the content is “partially” correct only.
First, the word is 강 “선” , ㅅ(s) ㅓ(o) ㄴ(n), read as SON, not 강 “성” ㅅ(s) ㅓ(o) ㅇ(ng) SONG.
강 “선” 리, read as Kang- Son- Ri, was actually a villiage(area) name in NamPo. there was a steel facory there.
So the term KangSon’s flame, did mean the flame in KangSon steel factory.
The following words are translated from Korean Wikipedia about 천리마구역(千里馬區域) Chollima District: (there was also an English version but with much less description, translating from Korean version could get more detail information)
“Historically, the current Chollima County was part of Kangsŏ County, encompassing Chori-myeon, Borim-myeon, and Yucha-myeon. In 1956, the first year of North Korea’s First Five-Year Plan, Kim Il-sung inspected the Kangson Steel Works in Kangson-ri, Kangseo County, and appealed to workers to increase production. The following year, 1957, it is believed that a significant increase in steel production was achieved. Kangson Steel Works became a symbol of the Chollima Movement, which aimed for self-reliance and increased production. The steelworks’ name was subsequently changed to Chollima Steel Complex Enterprise.”
This is the first part, the relationship between KangSon’s flame and Chollima.
But there is still the second part, which is about the “pun” (similar sounds) in Korean language. Since KangSon and KangSong really sounds very similar, it could be used to imply other meanings such as 강 “성” means “strong”.
I must also disagree with a few points made about this stamp.
This piece states that three figures are on the back of the Chollima, there are only two. The person at the front appears to be a construction worker (wearing a yellow safety hat and holding a radio) not a soldier. The person behind is not holding a flag but what looks like a sheaf of wheat.
Also, the slogan in the red banner under Juche Idea (주체사상) is not Songun Idea (성군사상). It reads One Mind Unity (일심단결), essentially suggesting the entire nation is of one mind – loyal to the Kim family and its ideology presumably. It is a bit of an awkward slogan to translate neatly so here is the Hanja (一心團結) which can provide a better indication of its meaning.
I also disagree with how the author of this piece translated and interpreted the text in the torch. The second Korean character is not 성 but 선. I believe that translating the slogan in the torch as Flames of Kangsŏn (강선의 봉화) is correct, connecting it to this specific place in North Korea. This is further evidenced if we look at the scene in the bottom right. It is taken from the 1973 painting Evening Glow Over Kangsŏn (강선의 저녁노을) – https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00043249.2021.1872299.
It is a pity that no North Korean philatelists can comment on this article.
Hi Alexander, good to hear from you. I don’t understand your comment. Although I do not, we do have many philatelists who collect North Korean stamps and related items in the KSS Yi-Fu is a real expert. Or, do you mean philatelists in North Korea? I doubt that there are many philatelists that actually live in North Korea. Bob
Hi Robert, Yes, of course. I meant philatelists – citizens of the DPRK or simply citizens of North Korea – not philatelists. I assume that they must know the specifics of this topic.
Hi Alexander, I wonder if there are actually any philatelists that are citizens of North Korea or live in North Korea. It is an interesting question. If any of our reader know, please let let us know. I was always under the impression that just a few stamps were used locally in North Korea for mail, and that they issued stamps aimed at the foreign collectors to raise money for the country ( like many countries do). Bob
The Korea Stamp Corporation prints postage stamps and promotes its products (marketing).
The Corporation has three large offices – in Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow.
And I’m surprised that our Korea Stamp Society doesn’t yet have any employees of this Corporation.
It’s a mystery to me why they don’t use the Society’s resources for popularize stamps of DPRK.
Hi Alexander, one of the largest dealers of North Korean stamps, who lives in the Netherlands, is a member of the KSS. However, I believe he may be retiring as dealer. Ivo can tell you much more about him. Bob