Republic of Korea Fruit FDC

Republic of Korea FDC
Name: Definitive Postage Stamps: Arctous ruber (Rehder & Wilson) Nakai
Issue date: 2007 July 10th

According to the practice of periodic replacement of definitive postage stamps, the 70 KRW stamp featuring a Chinese lantern, issued on March 15, 1995, will be replaced by a stamp featuring an Arctous ruber (Rehder & Wilson) Nakai, beginning July 10, 2007.

Arctous ruber (Rehder & Wilson) Nakai, which produces small and appetizing fruits, is designated as a rare and endangered species of wild flora. It is a leaf-dropping shrub that grows in the alpine plain, and its only known habitat within South Korea is Seoraksan Mountain. In North Korea, it can be found on Baekdusan Mountain, the Gaema Plateau, etc. There are three species of genus Arctous found around the world and one of them is indigenous to Korea. Their stems creep into the underground, with 2~3 light-yellow-colored flowers blossoming between May and July. From August to September, the shrub bears a round, red-colored fruit that tastes sweet and sour.

Republic of Korea Goguryeo FDC

Republic of Korea FDC
Name: Goguryeo Series (3rd)
Issue date: 2007 July 2nd

What was daily life like in Goguryeo? Around the mid 5th century, Goguryeo occupied the largest territory in Korea’s history. The initial mural paintings in ancient tombs, drawn around this period, described the details of daily lives and customs, in the hope that an abundant life in this world will be renewed in the afterlife. The last segment of the Goguryeo series re-introduces the life of the people of Goguryeo seen through the murals in ancient Goguryeo tombs.

Goguryeo people, both men and women, wore the jeogori (jacket) and baji (trousers), with women usually wearing a chima (skirt) on top of the baji. A cloth of different color was attached to the parts of clothing that could get easily dirty and worn-out, such as the edge of the outerwear sleeve or the chima’s hem. This attached cloth also served a decorative purpose. As for their diet, they ground grains such as millet, bean, wheat, barley, African millet, Chinese millet and steamed them in an earthenware steamer. They raised cows, pigs, chickens and dogs, while hunting mountain pigs, roe deer, pheasants, etc. Maekjok, thought to be a Goguryeo meat dish, is the predecessor of today’s bulgogi. Also shown in the tomb murals are various architectural styles. A nobleman’s mansion was composed of sarangchae (men’s quarters) and anchae (women’s quarters). Around the anchae were a kitchen, butcher’s area, rice mill, stable, horse barn, carriage shed, etc. with a garden cultivated on the corner of the wide yard. A commoner’s house had a simple, one or two room structure, as shown by the ruins of house sites. In addition, the murals indicate that the Goguryeo people enjoyed archery, hunting and various arts such as dancing and playing musical instruments.

The new stamps feature the kitchen of the Anak Tomb No. 3 murals (South Hwanghae Province, North Korea) and the part of Muyongchong (Muyong Tomb, Jian, China) murals that describes a host welcoming his guest. The selvage of the stamp sheet features: the part of Deokheung-ri Mural Tomb (Nampo, N\orth Korea) that depicts a noblewoman going out on a visit; several parts of the Muyongchong murals that depict dancers, servants carrying small dining tables and people playing horns; the part of Susan-ri Mural Tomb (Nampo, North Korea) that describes people performing acrobatics; and a Saiho (four-eared pot), Goguryeo’s representative earthenware.

Republic of Korea History FDC

Republic of Korea FDC
Name: Centennial Anniversary of Special Envoy to the Hague
Issue date: 2007 June 27th

"A truly great country is not one with extensive territory nor population. Even though its territory and population may be small, a country with great people becomes a great country. A great person, for the sake of his mother country, becomes the blood of his country's life." - Patriot Lee Chun.

The Eulsa Treaty signed in 1905 under Japan's coercion put Taehan Cheguk (the Empire of Korea) into the crisis of losing its national sovereignty and diplomatic privileges. Faced with this crisis, Korean Emperor Gojong dispatched in secret a cadre of special envoys made up of Lee Sang-Sol, Lee Chun, and Lee Wi-Jong to the Second Hague Peace Conference being held in The Hague, Netherlands in June 1907. Their mission was to engage in diplomatic activities aimed at appealing to the world's great powers to invalidate the Eulsa Treaty and restore Taehan Cheguk's national sovereignty. Carrying Emperor Kojong's credentials and secret messages, the suite of special eonvoys arrived at The Hague after two months of journey via Russia. At The Hague, they sent letters to the delegation of each country attending the Conference to elicit support to allow their participation in the Peace Conference. They also strived, through open speeches and media broadcasting, to inform the international community of the wretched situation that Korea was in. After Japan's interruptions stifled their plan, Lee Chun died in a fit of anger while Lee Sang-Sol and Lee Yi-Jong toured Europe, continuing to conduct diplomatic activities aimed at recovering Korea's national sovereignty.