As the saying goes, "Stamps are witnesses to the history of mankind." Postage stamps from every era have an old fashioned feel to them, and show the life, culture and overall situation of the time period in question.

Although few people send actual stamped letters or postcards these days, stamps are still popular. In light of this, Korea Post recently launched its 21st International Postage Stamp Design Contest, targeting philatelists worldwide.


Korea Post's International Postage Stamp Design Contest started in 1992, went global in 1996 and has become a sort of cultural festival for the global village.

There will be two categories this year: youngsters, students and teenagers; and then general participants. Each entrant should choose one of the following topics for their design: "Peace" or "Safety." Prizes totaling almost KRW 19 million will be distributed to the 25 successful winners, and a Grand Prize and Gold Prize winner from each category will see their design issued as a real Korea Post stamp in 2016. The contest will run from Oct. 27 to Nov. 26.

For more details, please visit the homepage for the 21st International Postage Stamp Design Contest: http://www.stampdesign.kr/.

By Shin Jaewon
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Korea Post
jennys88@korea.kr