VITEBSK, 13 January (BelTA) – An exhibition of the Korean Stamp Museum will go on display in Vitebsk, BelTA learned from the Museum of History of Private Collections that will host the exhibition.
The exhibition has been organized with support of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Embassy in Belarus. It will open on 15 January and will demonstrate the diversity of stamps that have been issued in the country in the last 50 years. The stamps illustrate all aspects of life of Koreans. A lot of the stamps are dedicated to history, patriotism, Kim Il-sung who was the first leader of the country and his successors Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un. Some stamps depict national traditions and customs. The items of the exhibition also illustrate global trends in the development of stamps. The stamps picture city landscapes, famous personalities, transport, Olympic sports, space exploration, flora and fauna. Grass, flowers, and trees not only depict an ideal picture of nature and its seasonal changes but also refer to traditional images, prejudices, and beliefs that date back centuries.
“Koreans enjoy sending and receiving letters. They use postal services a lot and often send postcards to their friends because it is customary in DPRK to send a greeting card on one or another occasion. Moreover, there is another tradition in the country – to send postcards to teachers. Stamps reflect a certain lifestyle and it will be interesting to learn about it,” representatives of the museum said.
The first DPRK stamps Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) and Samson Rock were issued in 1946 to mark the establishment of the postal service in the country. Since then these stamps have been used not only as a confirmation of paid postage but also also as a means to broaden people's knowledge about North Korea and the world on the whole. The country became a member of the International Federation of Philately (FIP) in 1965 and a member of the Universal Postal Union in 1974. Since then the country has issued stamps dedicated to international themes and with phrases in English for stamp collectors. A lot of DPRK stamps are very rare and valuable.
