This is a survey of the postage stamp

Postage stamp

A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...

s and postal history

Postal history

Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of postage stamps and covers and associated material illustrating historical episodes of postal systems...

 of Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

.

Long a closed kingdom, Korea began to open up in the second half of the 19th century; letters bearing Chinese and Japanese stamps are known from 1877.

First stamps of Korea

Korea issued its own first stamps on 18 November 1884. While five values were printed - 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mon, only the 5m and 10m values were issued, and even these saw little use, as the post office was burned down during a revolt in December 1884.

The next series of stamps did not appear until 1895, and consisted of four values: 5, 10, 25, and 50 poon, all of the same design featuring a yin yang symbol. They were overprint

Overprint

An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...

ed "Tae Han" in 1897, and surcharge

Overprint

An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...

d to 1 poon in 1900.

Currency change

A currency change in 1900, to rin, cheun, and weun, necessitated new stamps, and accordingly a series of 13 was issued, with values ranging from 2 rin to 2 weun. While all the designs have a common theme of the yin yang symbol, the frames are different for each value, and the three highest values are printed in two colors each. In 1902 five of these were surcharged using black handstamps.

Korea issued its first commemorative stamp

Commemorative stamp

A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp, often issued on a significant date such as an anniversary, to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. The subject of the commemorative stamp is usually spelled out in print, unlike definitive stamps which normally depict the subject along with the...

 on 18 October 1902, marking the 40th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Gojong. The orange stamp depicted the emperor's crown.

The last stamps of the Empire were another series of 13 issued in 1903, with all stamps of a common depicting a falcon.

Japanese control

In 1905, Japan assumed administrative control of Korea, and subsequently all mail used Japanese stamps. This state of affairs continued until early 1946.

After World War II

On 1 February 1946, the US military administration in South Korea overprinted Japanese stamps, supplanting them on 1 May with designs commemorating liberation from Japan. In the north, the Soviet occupation forces issued stamps from 12 March 1946.`

See also

• Japanese post in Korea
  Japanese post in Korea
  The first Japanese post office in Korea was established in 1876 in the Busan Japanese consulate premises. Post offices in Wonsan and Incheon The first Japanese post office in Korea was established in 1876 in the Busan (japanese reading: Fuzan) Japanese consulate premises. Post offices in Wonsan...
  
  
• Postage stamps and postal history of North Korea
  Postage stamps and postal history of North Korea
  This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of North Korea.The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang.-First stamps:The first stamps...
  
  
• Postage stamps and postal history of South Korea
  Postage stamps and postal history of South Korea
  This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of South Korea.South Korea is a country in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula...