Supporting Philatelists Since 1952
Philatelic history of Korea
Recently I purchased a postcard showing a Japanese woman throwing images of the first Korean stamps into the air and it intrigued me what this postcard represented. Does any reader know the story behind this postcard? Is it a propaganda anti-Japanese postcard? Where there any other types of these postcards printed?
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In Joseon (Korea) in the 33rd year (1896) of King Gojong‘s rule a French person, Emile Martel (1874-1949), established the French Language School in Seoul as a governmental institute in Jong-ro-gu, now known as Susong-dong (Korean: 수송동). Martel arrived in Korea in July 1894 at the age of only twenty years old. Subsequently this school […]
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Shown here are two cards, one sent by correspondent Richard Johnston, the other by correspondent Charles Grutzner, both to their own (postal) addres. Neither were actually handled handled by the US Army-Air Force Postal Service, which means they probably do not qualify as ‘private usage’ in this instance. (See this KP article for the background […]
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The second stamp in the Taegeuk series is the 10 poon. The stamp is designated Scott #7 deep blue (both printings), KPSC #4 (1st printing; #4a 2nd printing and Minkus #4. Black and white images and data are from Brady-Tyler, Zirkel, G. La Francesca and colour images and data are from MikeG Canada (Stampboards), Florian […]
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In 1957 Korea introduced the first of its Christmas and New Year stamps and souvenir sheets. These were quite attractive and colourful. They also appealed to children stamp collectors and in fact, this is why I started to collect Korean stamps when I was a child. I loved the little colourful souvenir sheets. The individual […]
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This story begins on 1 December 1951 during the breakout from the inlet. I was a Sergeant with Colonel MacLean’s forward CP when the Chinese first attacked the night of 27 November, 1951. Milo Paynovich and I left the perimeter walking along the edge of the reservoir. We came to an area where logs were […]
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In 1951 Korea issued a series of 42 stamps featuring flags of 21 countries that provided assistance in the Korean War (June 1950- July1953). Armed forces were sent from 16 United Nations countries, most from the United States. Five others, including Italy, the only Non-member State to participate (becoming a member on 14 December 1955), […]
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After the Korean War for well over a decade the economic development of South Korea was at a stand still. The country was considered an economic “basket case”. However, during Park Chung-hee’s reign the country began to grow rapidly. One visible effect were the many newly constructed roads and bridges, which featured a lot on […]
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Japanese control of Korea ended with the surrender on 15 August 1945 of the Imperial armed forces. Decisions made at the Yalta Conference in February 1945 were implemented after the surrender. The primary actions taken were the division of the Korean peninsula arbitrarily at the 38th Parallel, with the northern zone to be occupied by […]
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This cover illustrates the use of stamps overprinted for the Custodian Force, India (CFI). This was a deployment of Indian forces, including the 60th Parachute Field Ambulance unit (which had been in Korea from November 1950) to oversee the repatriation of POWs after the armistice. The CFI was in Korea from late September 1953 until […]
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The Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (CPV) had entered North Korea in October 1950, in response to the perceived threat to the year-old People’s Republic of China from the rapidly-advancing UN forces during the fifth month of the Korean War. The swift advances made by the (North) Korean People’s Army after they crossed the 38th Parallel […]
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The Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (CPV) had entered North Korea in October 1950, in response to the perceived threat to the year-old People’s Republic of China from the rapidly-advancing UN forces during the fifth month of the Korean War. The swift advances made by the (North) Korean People’s Army after they crossed the 38th Parallel […]
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The article “Military Postal Correspondence: Korean War, Korean Army Mail to the Soviet Union” by Peter Corson shows a series of North Korean military covers from a philatelic exhibit. But what were these covers about? And what message was sent through such a cover?
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To many collectors the basic rule of stamp collecting is to collect quality stamps. Generally speaking that means buying stamps in mint condition which could be used as an investment to fetch top dollar in the future. However, the collection as shown here are simply my stamp purchases done while staying in North Korea. Such […]
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This cover, franked with a Japanese 3-sen definitive (Scott 131) tied with a comb-style cancellation KEIJO/14.7.16 (July 16, Taisho 14 (1925))/6-9 p.m., was sent to Mr. TAKEDA Chobei and Co. in Osaka, Japan, from the Keijo (Seoul) Branch (”京城支店” in rear lower center) of FUJISAWA Tomokichi (“藤澤友吉”), a precursor store of Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd. […]
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It is encouraging that we are receiving so much new information from members of the Korea Stamp Society (KSS) and readers of the KSS website. In particular, I have been amazed at all the new information we have been receiving about Dr. Hall and other missionaries in Korea prior to WWII. This article is an […]
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Recently I acquired a piece of black paper with many Korean stamps affixed. The title at the top reads “Korean stamps” in Kanji. The paper is folded into 4 columns. The first column has 3 North Korean stamps, issued in 1946, at the upper part, followed by the wording: “North Korean stamps, issued at Pyongyang […]
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Affording missionary organisations the facility of using APO numbers was something that began with the US occupation of South Korea after WW2. The USA Military Government in Korea started its own parallel Army Post Office organisation on landing in September 1945. Approved missionary organisations, together with commercial suppliers to the military (usually Korean subsidiaries of […]
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In the article I wrote on the Korean 1952 TB/Christmas seal, I briefly discussed Dr. Moon’s autobiography, “A Fly Stuck to the Tail of Chollima”. As noted in the article, the Chollima is a mythical winged horse originally from Chinese classic literature and is seen across East-Asian literature.
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On Kobay, the Korean version of Ebay, mission history-related philatelic items are often available. Here is one of many of these items – a postcard sent within Great Britain from Grimsby to Skidbrooke on 19 February 1913. Both of these places are coastal towns in north east Lincolnshire. Grimsby is a major fishing port, whereas […]
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