Stamps released to celebrate 80th anniversary of liberation
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation this year, the Korea Heritage Service announced Thursday that it has collaborated with Korea Post to create stamps that feature the country's valuable cultural heritage.
The stamps will feature photographs of the Old Korean Legation in Washington, the Seal of Emperor Gojong (1852-1919) of the Korean Empire (1897-1910), the "Printing Woodblock of Cheokam seonsaeng munjip," also known as the "Collected Works of the Independent Activist Kim Do-hwa," and "Documents Related to Righteous Armies at the End of the Korean Empire."
The Old Korean Legation in Washington is the first diplomatic legation established in a Western nation. Founded by Emperor Gojong of the Korean Empire, it served officials from 1889 to 1905.
It is the only structure remaining almost intact among the 30 legations that were established in the U.S. capital during the 19th century, according to the Korea Heritage Service. The Korea Heritage Service acquired the building in 2012 and began its restoration that same year.
Since May 2018, the Old Korean Legation has been operated as a history museum and was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the United States in September 2024.
The Seal of Emperor Gojong, which was used discreetly by the emperor during Japan’s colonization of Korea (1910-45), was retrieved by Korea in 2009 and designated as a national treasure later that year.
The "Printing Woodblock of Cheokam seonsaeng munjip" contains the literary works of independence activist Kim Do-hwa (1825-1912) and was recovered from Germany in 2019. According to the Korea Heritage Service, there are a total of 21 such literary collection woodblocks in the country.
"Documents Related to Righteous Armies at the End of the Korean Empire" encompasses 13 documents and letters recovered from Japan in July 2024 using lottery funds. This collection includes nine documents authored by members of the Thirteen Provinces Alliance of Righteous Armies, as well as four letters from Yu Jung-gyo (1832-1893) and Choe Ik-hyeon (1833-1906). These documents were compiled into two handscrolls with thick paper attached to them. Notes appended to the main text at the commencement of each handscroll indicate that a Japanese military police officer arranged them in the current format in 1939.
"To honor the 80th anniversary of our liberation, we selected these cultural assets, as they embody our persistent journey for liberation and the safeguarding of our identity," Korea Heritage Service said in its press release.
This marks the fifth time that the Korea Heritage Service has produced such stamps. It plans to produce 544,000 copies this year, available for purchase at post offices or online at the official Korea Post website,www.epost.go.kr.