The global philatelic festival, the PHILAKOREA 2025 World Stamp Exhibition, was held with great success from September 17 to 21 at COEX Magok Exhibition Hall in Seoul. Looking back at the behind-the-scenes preparations that began in 2021, one can say that the five-year-long journey of preparations has now come to an end. From the very start, there were many twists and turns: whether to hold the exhibition at all, where and when to hold it, and how to secure the budget—none of these issues were easy. Yet, through the joint efforts of the postal authorities and philatelists, it was made into one of the most successful exhibitions ever held.
In February 2022, when the Korea Post decided to host the event, and later in August of that year when approval for FIP sponsorship was granted at the 77th FIP Congress in Jakarta, Indonesia, everyone assumed it would proceed smoothly in 2024, coinciding with the 140th anniversary of Korean postal services. However, delays in securing approval from the Prime Minister’s office to host an international exhibition created a series of difficulties. The budget authorities placed unusual emphasis on “blockbuster appeal” and the promotion of the government’s digital powerhouse policy, which forced the search for a venue in a high-traffic downtown area. This led to numerous problems, and ultimately, in August 2024, securing the intended venue became impossible. Moreover, because of the delayed approval, Korea Post failed to secure a budget for Philakorea, making it inevitable to postpone the exhibition beyond 2024. This created a serious crisis over whether the exhibition could even be held. Fortunately, despite difficult management conditions, Korea Post managed to secure the 2025 budget, and thus decided to proceed with hosting the World Stamp Exhibition. I express my deep gratitude to the postal authorities who brought about this final decision.
Even during the preparation stage, controversies abounded. Another implicit instruction from the budget authorities was that the national digital powerhouse initiative had to be reflected in the exhibition hall setup, which became a new issue. As a result, the scale of exhibits had to be somewhat limited, and debates on this continued for quite some time. However, during the Thailand 2023 World Stamp Exhibition in Bangkok in November 2023, officials from Korea Post, the Korea Post Business Promotion Agency, and the Philatelic Federation of Korea visited together, which helped raise mutual understanding about the essential nature of the exhibition.
Entering 2024, thanks to the active efforts of Korea Post, the budget was properly secured. In October 2024, staff from the Korea Post Business Promotion Agency realized that COEX’s new Exhibition Hall 2 in Seoul’s Magok District would open in late November, and immediately applied for rental. From then on, everything began to fall into place. Before the opening in November, a site visit confirmed that the hall was directly connected to Magoknaru Station, with links to the Airport Railroad and Subway Line 9, providing optimal accessibility. It also featured state-of-the-art exhibition facilities and even a four-star hotel, all within a new urban area combining an advanced digital cluster and residential space—conditions that were virtually perfect.
On December 3, 2024, in Shanghai, China, a sponsorship signing ceremony was held with FIP and FIAP for PHILAKOREA 2025, and from that point the official preparations began. At the ceremony, I boldly declared in my clumsy English: “I am sorry Philakorea is delayed by one year, but the new venue offers cutting-edge facilities and accessibility, and based on the Korean philatelic community’s capability proven by hosting four successful world exhibitions in the past, this too will be a success—so please look forward to it.” The FIP member representatives present laughed and applauded.
From February to March 2025, three rounds of meetings were held to select international jurors. Through Commissioner General Jin Hur, applications and entries were solicited from FIP member countries. In February 2025, at the award ceremony of the Montevideo World Stamp Exhibition in Uruguay, we received the FIP flag, and the impending opening of Philakorea 2025 felt increasingly real. A World Exhibition Organizing Committee was also formed, selecting members responsible for hospitality, exhibit acceptance, and exhibition hall operations.
In June, Richard Tan, the FIP consultant for Philakorea 2025, visited Korea for his final inspection. After reviewing the preparations and touring the venue, he expressed great satisfaction before leaving. Subsequent Zoom meetings were held with FIP, and throughout the preparation period Commissioner General Jin Hur coordinated exhibition details in real time via international calls. Ultimately, the exhibition scale was finalized at 2,002 frames from 65 countries.
In addition, publications necessary for the exhibition were rushed to meet the schedule: an updated edition of the Korean Specialized Catalogue, a documentary collection on the early history of the Philatelic Federation of Korea, a chronology of Korean post offices from 1876 to 1945, and a handbook of Korean postal cards. To promote enthusiasm for participation, regional branch meetings were held nationwide between July and August, spreading news of Philakorea 2025’s progress.
On September 16, the day before the opening, exhibit acceptance and installation began. Under the leadership of Director Song Il-ho, the Organizing Committee carried out the work smoothly, completing preparations by the evening of the 16th. Since the most worrying stage—acceptance and installation—was completed without major issues, tensions eased considerably. Moreover, because the exhibition hall and hotel were in the same building, both domestic and foreign participants expressed satisfaction with the convenience.
At the opening ceremony on the 17th, Vice Minister Yoo Jae-myung of the Ministry of Science and ICT, Korea Post President Cho Hae-geun, FIP President Prakob Chirakiti, and Vice Presidents were in attendance, along with large crowds. Particularly striking was the sight of long lines of people waiting to buy stamps sold exclusively at the exhibition venue, a rare scene in these days of declining philately.
The Philatelic Federation of Korea booth, located near the exhibits, functioned as a de facto information desk. Right next to it was a corner for special cancellations, which remained crowded throughout the exhibition. Volunteers from the Federation even took personal leave from work to serve wholeheartedly, showing domestic and foreign visitors the unity of Korea’s philatelic community. The atmosphere at the booths, both domestic and international, was lively thanks to the unexpected high number of visitors. I was also delighted to reunite with designer colleagues from my working days during the designer autograph sessions, all of whom looked healthy and cheerful despite the passage of time.
On the evening of opening day, a welcome banquet was held, hosted by the Philatelic Federation of Korea, for domestic and foreign guests. Though smaller in scale than the 2014 Philakorea, 230 places were reserved, slightly more than a decade earlier, considering that both the hotel and venue were in one location. However, due to the unexpectedly high turnout of Korean philatelists at this exhibition, admissions had to be controlled, raising concerns that some philatelists might not be able to attend. Still, there was no problem accommodating the essential attendees such as association leaders.
At the awards ceremony on the 20th, I was pleased to see that three Korean exhibitors had won Large Gold medals. The national Grand Prix was awarded to Kim Young-gil, president of the Korea Collectors Club. I believe this success was due to the great efforts exhibitors put into revising and improving their exhibits right up until submission. I extend my heartfelt congratulations for their hard work.
Active exchanges with foreign philatelists during the exhibition also served as another form of cultural diplomacy, which was deeply rewarding. On the 18th, the Korea Stamp Society (KSS) held a luncheon meeting with us; six representatives from KSS attended, while our Federation was represented by myself, Vice Presidents Jin Hur and Yoo Yong-sang, Advisor Kim Jang-hwan, Secretary-General Hyun Byung-rae, and Director Kim Young-gil. On the 20th, the Korea Postal Card Society and the Korea-Japan Philatelic Society co-hosted a Korea-Japan philatelic meeting. Nine representatives came from Japan, including Japan Philatelic Federation President Renichi Yamada, FIP juror Yosuke Naito, and Commissioner Yuichi Enosawa. Fourteen Koreans attended, for a total of 23 participants, resulting in a much larger success than expected.
On September 18 and 19, welcome banquets were also held to promote next year’s world exhibitions in Dubai and Taipei. Taipei’s event was attended by the head of Chunghwa Post and staff from the Taipei Representative Office in Korea, while Dubai’s was attended by the UAE ambassador to Korea. It was evident that these countries were using world stamp exhibitions as platforms for national promotion, quite different from Korea’s approach.
According to the summary by Korea Post, the exhibition attracted an official attendance of 43,000 visitors and received coverage in 455 media reports, which they assessed as proof of success. From the Federation’s perspective, the success can be attributed to the way Korean philatelists, fully aware of the challenges facing the hobby, carried out their responsibilities faithfully with understanding and cooperation.
In particular, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Vice President Jin Hur, who, from the earliest preparations to the very end, worked tirelessly with selfless dedication, outstanding ability, and the experience of a former diplomat. After the awards ceremony, in an elevator with international philatelists, I overheard them praising Vice President Hur as a wise and passionate individual.
When Philakorea 1984 began, I was 26 years old and working at Seoul Central Post Office. The 100th anniversary of Korean postal services? I simply thought, “How impressive.” At Philakorea 1994, I was an official in charge at the Ministry of Communications’ Stamp Division, running around frantically. Now, as president of the Philatelic Federation of Korea, I have overseen Philakorea 2025. Countless memories flash before my eyes. To recall our youthful days and to envision the future through stamp exhibitions is, I believe, not just for philatelists but a shared emotional experience for an entire generation.
In nine years, 2034 will mark the 150th anniversary of modern postal administration in Korea. Is it selfish of me to hope for Philakorea 2034?
Although digital culture is spreading rapidly everywhere, the warm atmosphere of philately and its analog charm will surely remain a precious cultural heritage that humanity must preserve. Finally, I once again extend heartfelt thanks to Korea Post, the Korea Post Business Promotion Agency, and all philatelists who supported this exhibition.
PHILAKOREA 2025! REMEMBER! FOREVER!
