Stamps of the Kingdom of Korea   

A postal service of western lines, complete with postage stamps, was introduced in Korea in November 1884.  The stamps were in denominations of 5 and 10 mon. Four different gauges of perforation were used, ranging from 8.5 to 11.5. Shortly after these stamps were issued, there was a revolution in Korea and the Seoul Post Office was destroyed. Eleven years elapsed before postage stamps were reintroduced.

Korea was declared an empire in October 1897 and stamps inscribed ‘Imperial Korean Post’ in emulation of the contemporary issues of Japan were issued in January 1900.  The stamps ranged in value from 2re to 20 cheun. Higher values of 50 cheun and one won were added in 1901 – 1903. The stamps featured the hibiscus flower and teaguk emblem of Korea.

The last stamps issued by an independent Korea appeared in June 1903. They were in denominations from 2 rin to 2 won. The standard design had a falcon holding a sceptre and orb of imperial power. By this time, however, Korean sovereignty was more imaginary than real as Japan and Russia jostled for control of the country. In the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese War, the Korean postal service was merged into that of Japan on 1 June 1905, and ordinary Japanese stamps were introduced. Korea remained nominally independent of Japan until August 1910, when it was formally annexed.

Two stamps issued in January 1950 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Korea’s admission to the Universal Postal Union. The 15 and 65w stamps, bearing a post-horse warrant, were lithographed on granite paper. This design was subsequently modified for use as a definitive 100w stamp in 1951.

On account of the Korean War, the currency of South Korea depreciated rapidly. In 1953, it was reformed, 100 old won being worth one new hwan.  This brought about a change of definitive series, which appeared in 1954 – 1955 in denominations from 5 to 1000h. The six designs used for this series featured deer, antiquities and symbols of reconstruction after the war. The series was printed on watermarked paper between April 1954 and October 1955, but thereafter unwatermarked paper was adopted.