Supporting Philatelists Since 1952
Subjects related to the philatelic history of North Korea (DPRK).
As an example of a postal rate that is difficult to explain, this April 1950 cover should come as no surprise to collectors of North Korean postal history. What makes it special, is the rate, 20 won. This is the highest pre-Korean War franking that I have recorded in nearly 20 years of specialising in […]
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In this article the story of the Chollima pictured on North Korea stamps continues through the years of 1980 through 1989. During this period of 1980 through 1989 there were twenty three North Korea stamps issued portraying the Chollima somewhere in the design.
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In this article the story of the Chollima pictured on North Korea continues through the years of 1973 through 1979. During this period of 1973 through 1979 there were eighteen North Korea stamps issued portraying the Chollima. After a record year in 1972 when North Korea issued twenty-five stamps that showed a Chollima somewhere in […]
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A few series of North Korean revenue stamps from the 1940s and 1950s are known to collectors. These series have been described in various sources (including partially on the KSS website), but the main issue remains: almost nothing is known about them. What were these stamps used for? Were they affixed to documents or used […]
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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.
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We continue the story of the Chollimas on North Korea stamps with additional different stamps depicting a Chollima somewhere within the stamp’s design. The stamps described in this Part 4 article cover the stamps issued by North Korea depicting the Chollima on stamps from the years of 1970 to the end of 1972. There was […]
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The Korean War began when North Korea launched a surprise attack on South Korea, crossing the 38th parallel on June 25, 1950. The South Korean military was taken completely by surprise and North Korea rapidly advanced southward, taking over Seoul in just few days on June 28,1950, and then taking control of Taejon (now Daejeon) […]
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Between 1988 and 1990, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) issued several stamps with erroneous denominations. These stamps are rare and are not commonly listed in stamp catalogs, with one exception. It’s worth noting that no imperforated variants have been observed, and they may not exist.
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At some date after the signing of the Armistice on 27 July 1953, for reasons known only to the North Korean postal administration, a decision was made to introduce an airmail fee of 75 won. That this was likely due to the huge influx of members of the two Neutral Nations Commissions (NNRC and NNSC) […]
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At the end of January 2024, information appeared in the world media that a huge monument – the Arch, symbolizing the possible unification of North and South Korea – the Monument to the Three Charters of Reunification, was destroyed. The arch was erected in 2001, a year after the inter-Korean summit (the inter-Korean declaration was […]
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What a wonderful feeling to find something new, a philatelic treasure, a real “philagem”. And how wonderful to be able to add a stamp to your collection of which only 2 copies exist, or add both! A wonderful philatelic discovery, from a troubled era, from the philately of a closed country! The feeling when we […]
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North Korea isn’t the only country that has used the chollima images on their postage stamps. Some of North Korea’s allies have used the image too. For example, from an image we have seen before on the Korea Stamps Society’s webpage is a East Germany pair with a semi-postal stamp of 20 +5 pf value […]
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We continue the story of the Chollimas on North Korea stamps with an additional 16 different stamps depicting a Chollima, somewhere within the stamp’s design, including descriptions. The stamps described in Part 2 cover the stamps issued by North Korea showing the Chollima from the year of 1965 to the end of 1969.
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As a relatively new member of the Korea Stamp Society (KSS), I was attracted by the many articles about the images of Chollimas on stamps, especially of those of North Korea (DPRK) on the KSS website. The first article I noticed was posted on the KSS website on June 24, 2020. I made the comment […]
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In 1976, the DPRK released several souvenir sheets that differ (within the same catalog number) from each other. Differences in size, perforation, presence of glue, etc. can be found. The information in catalogs is somewhat different. The most notable example would be the Souvenir Sheet for release: Winners, 21st Olympic Games, Montreal.
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The Stamp Museum of Pyongyang is housed in a specially built three-floor building next to the well-known Koryo Hotel in downtown Pyongyang. The front of the building is designed in the shape of a stamp. In front of the building stands a bronze statue of a dove holding a postcard while flying around the earth […]
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Shown here are 5 covers sent between June and September 1950 to North Korea. Covers no. 1-4 were sent by Soviet citizens of Korean ethnicity to their relatives or friends, who were living in the territory of North Korea. The sender of the fifth cover is presumably the wife of a Soviet officer, who at […]
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On the occasion of Mao Zedong’s 100th birthday, the Korean Stamp Corporation (DPRK) issued a series of postal stationery in honor of Mao. The cards have three-dimensional images, which is why they are quite heavy and made of plastic; but it’s not the comical “wobbly images” often seen in 3D – that would probably not […]
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The Chinese Government attached great importance to the Korean and Chinese units differing significantly from each other in formal terms. The Chinese People’s Volunteers received different troop designations, rank insignia and uniforms. Field letters from Korea were given their own troop cancellers (fig. 1), which differed from the Chinese field post letters (fig. 2).
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From early August 2012 to the end of November 2013 I was stationed in Pyongyang (DPRK) for the World Food Program of the United Nations. Because of the limited international internet access allowed to the WFP national staff in the DPRK (mainly seconded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). There is also a WFP DPRK […]
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