In June, North Korean media reported that the nation issued a set of stamps showing the magpie, which symbolizes the national bird. Previously, North Korea called goshawk, or chammae in Korean, its national bird, explaining that the bird’s strength and bravery resemble those of Korean people. It is assumed that the recent change was made during the adoption of a new law on national symbols early this year, in an apparent move to spruce up its national image as friendly. 

In July, North Korea also unveiled a stamp portraying farming activities. The country had set 12 major economic goals for this year and put top priority on grain production. It seems the new stamp reflects the state policy of placing emphasis on agriculture.  

In the North, stamps are used to mail letters, of course. But they are also used as a means of regime propaganda and a diplomatic channel to deliver messages to the outside world. 

Stamps reflect the history, politics and culture of a country. In today’s edition of Korea, Today and Tomorrow, we’ll learn about the meanings of North Korean stamps from Dr. Yee Ji Sun at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

In November last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter Kim Ju-ae appeared at the site of the test-launch of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile. 

At the time, Kim Ju-ae took a photo with people who contributed to the missile firing. In February this year, the Korea Stamp Corporation in the North disclosed stamps about leader Kim Jong-un’s inspection of the Hwasong-17 missile launch. Out of eight stamps, five showed the leader’s daughter, including the one featuring her walking with her father hand in hand against the background of the missile. 

The first appearance of Kim Ju-ae in stamp designs drew attention all the more because signs had been detected of North Korea building the personality cult surrounding the young girl. 

In fact, family members of North Korea’s top leaders often appeared on stamps. For example, North Korea issued stamps showing different images of Kim Jong-suk, the grandmother of Kim Jong-un. The North released stamps that contain the images of parents and grandparents of regime founder Kim Il-sung and also commemorative stamps about his uncle Kim Hyong-gwon and his younger brother Kim Chol-ju, under the theme of the Korean independence movement. 

Top leaders themselves appeared on stamps as well. North Korea issued a stamp featuring former leader Kim Jong-il alone for the first time in the 1980s, when he officially became the country’s second-in-command. The first stamp about current leader Kim Jong-un was released in 2011, right after the death of his father Kim Jong-il. The two men appeared together on the stamp, but only the name of Kim Jong-il was shown. 

The image of the father and the son, against the backdrop of Chonji Lake on top of Mt. Baekdu, was also featured on a stamp commemorating the fourth Workers’ Party representatives’ meeting in 2012. In the same year, North Korea issued a stamp to celebrate the 66th anniversary of the Korean Children’s Union, and the stamp shows leader Kim Jong-un and the members of the union. 

A stamp featuring Kim Jong-un alone first came out in 2013, a year after the leader took power and right after he delivered his first verbal New Year’s message. 

So, why did North Korea include the image of the leader’s daughter in stamps lately? 

North Korea tends to issue stamps in consideration of internal situations or international affairs. In this context, the stamps showing Kim Ju-ae could be interpreted as a message toward the outside world. 

Korea established the Korean Postal Bureau in April 1884 and issued its first stamp series, called “Moon” series, in November that year. South Korea issued its first stamps in August 1948 under the name of “Republic of Korea.” 

The first stamps of North Korea were issued in 1946, under the instruction of Kim Il-sung who raised the need to create new stamps that would reflect the nation’s reality and the people’s lives. The stamps had the designs of the Rose of Sharon and Samson Rock at Mt. Geumgang. 

In August 1946, Kim Il-sung appeared on a stamp for the first time, against the background of the Korean flag of Taegeukgi. 

Both South and North Korea issued stamps even during the Korean War. North Korea, in particular, released various stamps to boost the morale of its troops. Local media say that the country issued a total of 31 kinds of stamps during the war. 

North Korean stamps are mostly about promoting the socialist regime. That’s why many stamps contain the images of laborers. 

In the Encyclopedia of North Korea, a stamp is defined as a paper certificate affixed to a piece of mail as a sign of postage. Many North Korean stamp designs are focused on the achievements of the family of the top leaders. 

In many cases, stamps have political purposes and are used to promote the communist ideology. Therefore, North Korean stamps might give a hint about the country’s relations with the outside world. 

North Korea had issued the so-called “anti-American stamps” since 1952 in the middle of the Korean War but stopped publishing them in 2018 when the first North Korea-U.S. summit took place. 

These days, postage stamps are rarely used, as people can use e-mails and messengers. But stamps are still considered important in North Korea. In 2012, right after Kim Jong-un came to power, North Korea opened the Korea Stamp Museum on the birthday anniversary of Kim Il-sung on April 15, known locally as the Day of the Sun. On major anniversaries, including the Day of the Sun and the party foundation day, the country holds stamp exhibitions. It has expanded the foreign branch of the Korea Stamp Corporation. The state stamp bureau has also opened a website to allow overseas customers to purchase North Korean stamps online. 

North Korea issues stamps and holds stamp exhibitions on various national anniversaries to promote the regime and deliver messages internally and outwardly. We’re looking forward to seeing stamps featuring the image of a unified Korean peninsula.