KOREA_50 Years of KOTRA & Korean Trade



The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) has played a pivotal role in the growth of Korea’s trade and celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2012.

In the 1950s, Korea suffered from the devastation left by the Korean War. Amidst the desolation emerged the importance of exports as the means of rebuilding the nation’s war-torn economy. As a result, the first five-year economic development plan was drawn, with KOTRA being established in June 1962. KOTRA, founded against this background, served as front line commandos in the export competition in the 1960s, and in the 1970s to 1980s, as vanguard pioneers exploring the Eastern European markets. After the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, KOTRA expanded its aim to attract foreign direct investment into Korea as well.

Growing in export volume from $55 million in 1962 to $10 billion in 1977, Korea achieved what has been dubbed the “Miracle on the Han River.” The country hit another milestone in 2011 by becoming the 9th country in the world to reach $1 trillion in trade volume. Of course, KOTRA has played in integral part in Korea’s trade growth throughout the decades.

Currently, KOTRA provides infrastructure and support for the globalization and overseas entry of Korean businesses through 119 branch offices in 81 countries. In hoping that KOTRA continue to overcome the challenges of penetrating larger markets and head toward a brighter future, two commemorative stamps are issued, featuring the “KOTRA 50th anniversary emblem” and the “KOTRA’s headquarters.”

The 50th Anniversary of Korea-Colombia Diplomatic Relations joint stamp issue

The year 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Colombia. The two countries have been developing a traditional friendship in such diverse areas as politics, economy, culture and society over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1962. In celebration and commemoration of this 50th anniversary, Korea Post and its Colombian counterpart are issuing a set of joint stamps featuring the representative crops of the two countries: Korea's ginseng and Colombia's coffee.

The 50th Anniversary of Korea - Mexico Diplomatic Relations

The year 2012 celebrates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Mexico. During the epoch of immigration to Mexico by Korean people, which started in 1905 and has passed the century mark and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries which has passed half a century, the two countries have consolidated solid cooperative relations through active exchanges in various areas such as the economy, culture, education, etc. To commemorate this meaningful 50th anniversary, Korea Post and its Mexican counterpart are issuing a joint stamp featuring "the gray whale."
Unlike other whales, only two different populations of the gray whale, which are on the brink of extinction across the world, were reported: the West Pacific population that migrates between the Sea of Okhotsk and Korea’s East Sea and the East Pacific population that journey between Alaska and Mexico. The West Pacific gray whale was first reported to the academic circle in 1912 by Loy Andrew, the American explorer, under the name of “Korean gray whale.” Due to overhunting, they are now endangered, and currently it is reported that only 130 of the species are living in the sea of Okhotsk, Russia. The East Pacific gray whale, that mate and give birth in Baja California, Mexico, was once also endangered due to reckless hunting. Currently, however, thanks to the steadfast protection policy, there are 20,000 of them roaming the waters.
The stamp features a young gray whale and its adult version. The stamp featuring the young gray whale shows the gray whale’s own, inherent skin pattern without any barnacles or whale lice attached to the skin. The stamp featuring the adult gray whale, on the other hand, vividly shows both the adult gray whale’s unique characteristic covered with traces of barnacles once attached but now gone, as well as the gray whale’s own unique outer appearance of its thick lower jaw.

2011 Millennial Anniversary of the Tripitaka Koreana

A thousand years ago, work commenced on Korea’s first woodcut Tripitaka, the “Chojo Daejanggyeong” or "the First-edition Tripitaka Koreana.” Tripitaka (Daejanggyeong) is the collection of “Gyeongjang (Sutra Pitaka),” the compilation of Buddha’s utterances, “Yuljang (Vinaya Pitaka),” the record of Buddhist precepts and “Nonjang (Abhidhamma Pitaka),” the translation of what Buddha said. It was during the Goguryeo era in the 4th century that Buddhism was first introduced to Korea. It steadily developed over the eras of Baekje and Silla to reach its heyday during the Goryeo era. With the background of this Buddhist culture and in the face of the frequent invasions by the Khitan, Goryeo’s excellent scientific technologies, the art of printing and economic power were combined to create "Tripitaka Koreana," which embodies Goryeo people’s desire to overcome those invasions through the mercy of Buddha.
Work on the First-edition Tripitaka Koreana began in the 2nd year of King Hyeonjong’s reign (the year 1011) during the Goryeo dynasty and its first engraving on woodblocks was accomplished in the 4th year of King Seonjong’s reign (the year 1029). The engraving resumed in 1046 and was completed in 1087. Based on the Gaebopan Tripitaka (the year 971) during the Northern Song dynasty, the world’s first woodcut Tripitaka, as well as referencing a selection of other Tripitakas in circulation during those days, the First-edition Tripitaka Koreana was created as Goryeo’s own unique Tripitaka. The superb cultural and academic foundations of those times resulted in the great feat of manufacturing “Gyojang,” the collection of Scriptures and Commentaries on the Tripitaka – the only one in the world. Currently, about 3,000 fascicles of the First-edition Tripitaka Koreana exist, holding a high bibliographical value. As the First-edition Tripitaka Koreana, stored at the Buin Temple in Palgong Mountain located in Daegu, was destroyed by fire in 1232 when Mongols invaded Korea, Jaejo Daejanggyeong (the Second-edition Tripitaka Koreana) was created from the 23th year (the year 1236) to the 38th year (the year 1251) of the reign of King Gojong of the Goryeo dynasty, which finally completed the 240-year-long, mammoth project of Tripitaka Koreana. This Second-edition Tripitaka Koreana, more commonly called Palman Daejanggyeong, was designated, along with its Depositories (Janggyeong Panjeon), as a UNESCO Memory of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage, respectively, in recognition of its cultural excellence.
In celebration of the millennial anniversary of the Tripitaka Koreana, various events are being held this year including international workshops. In addition, a new step leading to the next millennium is being undertaken through the database work on the First-edition Tripitaka Koreana. Celebrating the Millennial Anniversary of the Tripitaka Koreana, one of our proud cultural heritages, a commemorative stamp is issued that features “the 15th volume of Yugasajiron (Yogacaryabhumi sutra)” and “Eojebijangjeon" engraving -- the printed papers of the First-edition Tripitaka Koreana.

Korea_The 10th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNCCD

The 10th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNCCD

Korea_Definitive Postage Stamps

Design: Taegeukgi,the national flag of Korea

As the postal rates are adjusted starting from October 1, 2011, 270 KRW stamps for standard letter mail (from over 5g up to 25g) .The 270 KRW-stamp for standard letter mail, expected to be most commonly used, features Taegueki (the national flag of Korea). For the convenience of postal customers, this stamp is issued as a self-adhesive stamp, with a sheet comprising 20 stamps.

Korea_New Year's Greetings Stamp

Design The: dragon crisscrossing the sky

Designer: Eunkyung PARK

Being a creature of legends, the dragon is described to have an immense body of a snake, the horns of a deer, the ear of a cow, scaly skin, and four legs. Since ancient times, the dragon has been associated to greatness, thus symbolizing royal authority or the throne. Almost everything associated with kings was preceded by the prefix of “yong” (dragon) such as Yongan (king’s face), Gollyongpo (king’s ceremonial attire), Yongsang (the low wooden bench on which the King sat), etc.

In addition, the dragon has been positioned as an auspicious symbol in our everyday life: a dream of forthcoming conception that involves a dragon led to the expectation of the baby growing up to be a great man; farmers worshipped the dragon as the god of water that governs the success of their harvest; fishermen worshipped the dragon as the Dragon King that governs the sea.

A new year’s greeting stamp is issued in commemoration of the Year of the Dragon, in the hope that just like the dragon that soars vigorously into the sky with the cintamani in its mouth, the year 2012 will be a year full of hopes for everyone. The New Year’s greetings stamps have been printed with photostorage ink since 2001. This year, the dragon's body and the pearl-white snowflakes in the stamp are also printed using photostorage ink and glow in the dark.

from Korea.

Thanks Mr. Kim Yeonjoon.
Send some of philatelic products. :)

100th Anniversary of the Alishan Forest Railway Commemorative Souvenir Sheet

Commemorative Envelope (Locality cover)

Commemorative Envelope

First Day Entire Cover

Alishan, with its beautiful natural scenery and rich ecological resources, is a world famous tourist destination. The Beimen to Erwanping section of Alishan Forest Railway officially opened to traffic on December 25, 1912. Along with the mountain’s sacred trees, sunrise, sunset, and sea of clouds, the railway is one of the “Five Wonders of Alishan.” The Alishan Forest Railway was once a very busy train track because of logging on the mountain. With changes to Taiwan’s economic structure, the railway’s role has shifted from a transporter of lumber to a cultural asset with its scenic spots and historical architecture dating from a century ago. To mark the 100th anniversary of the opening of the railway, Chunghwa Post will issue a souvenir sheet.

Commemorative postmark

Temporary post office datemark

The souvenir sheet has a bright color scheme with mountains and a route map in the background. Four different trains are featured. One of the two stamps features one train pulled by a No.31 steam engine passing through flowering cherry trees (NT$25); and the other, headed by a diesel engine, is coming out of the No.1 tunnel (NT$5). Elsewhere on the sheet there is a train on the No.13 Bridge over the Niuchou River and a train being pulled by the No. 25 steam engine. With its images of trains traversing the forest, the sheet is imbued with a great sense of dynamism. The beautiful golden emblem on the upper left corner signifies the railway’s glorious service over the last hundred years.

A stamp pictorial will go on sale on December 25, 2011, the issuing date of the stamps. The pictorial comprises one souvenir sheet, an NT$5 denominated Alishan stamp of the Personal Greeting Stamps – Travel in Taiwan, a silver foil and a set of 6 postal cards.

Return to sender from United Kingdom.

台灣寄韓國(Taiwan send Korea )

台灣寄韓國(Taiwan send Korea )

韓國寄台灣(Korea send Taiwan)

韓國寄台灣(Korea send Taiwan)