Korea Postage Stamp Museum

Stamps that barely had time to travel

Korea's modern post service began carrying mail between Seoul and Incheon on 18 November 1884. Only two stamps, worth 5 and 10 mun, were ready. Three larger denominations had been ordered from Japan but had not arrived. Political upheaval closed the postal service barely twenty days later

The Gapsin Coup ended the new reform programme before the 25-, 50- and 100-mun stamps could enter service. The first five designs became known as Munwi stamps, named after the currency unit printed on them. These miniature pieces of paper capture an ambitious attempt to modernize communication and how abruptly it ended

A country's history in miniature

The Korea Postage Stamp Museum follows postal history through currency, printing, symbols and design. Later Korean issues carry the national flag, royal motifs, public figures and anniversaries. The 1895 Taegeuk stamps and issues from the early Republic of Korea belong to very different political eras

A postage stamp is both payment for sending a letter and a small graphic image chosen by an issuing authority. Changes in script, subject and printing tell their own story of Korean life. The museum's traditional permanent exhibition covers these developments through stamps and collecting activities

There is an important visitor exception, however. The Faker commemorative stamp exhibition has replaced the regular permanent galleries for its scheduled run. The museum is using one-hour reserved visits during this special programme; the normal displays are unavailable at the same time. Anyone visiting for postal history rather than the themed exhibition should check the current programme before choosing a date

A postal museum beneath the post office

The museum occupies basement level B2 under Seoul Central Post Office, a short walk from Myeongdong. Its compact underground setting makes it easy to include in a day around Myeongdong and the Bank of Korea area

The venue also hosts changing exhibitions and postal-themed activities. The building above is a working post-office complex, while the basement museum has its own admission and reservation arrangements

Before you go

The museum is at B2, 70 Sogong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul. Entry is free. The official visiting window is 09:00–16:50, with Monday and public-holiday closures. During the Faker stamp programme, Naver reservations provide one-hour slots; the entrance kiosk accepts same-day booking only when a slot is still available

Line 4's Myeongdong Station Exit 5 is about five minutes on foot. Euljiro 1-ga Station Exit 6 on Line 2 takes about ten minutes. The museum's number is +82-2-6450-5600