South Korea

 Under construction  

South Korea is the southern part of the Korean peninsula next to northen China.

At the end of World War II in 1946, The US and Russia agreed to split the administration of Korea, the US in control of the southern division.
 * In 1946, old Japanese stamps were surcharged Choson upyo.png ("Korean postage stamp") and new values. Essays more roughly done also exist.
 * Also in 1946, a liberation issue was released with two different inscriptions.
 * Beginning later in 1946, The inscription became Choson upyo.png again. Both North and South Korea used the same name until mid-1948 when South Korea changed their name, with stamps inscribed S Korean postage stamp.png ("South Korean postage stamp"). This phrase is typically preceded by a yin-yang/mandala symbol. South Korean stamps after the first US military issue can be identified by currency expressed in "Cn" or "Won/Wn". North Korean stamps in this period have currency expressed in "z" ("chon" in Cyrillic) or Won.png ("won").

 File:South Korea US mily.jpg|1946 US military administration surcharge File:South korea Gunston surch.jpg|Gunston surcharge essay File:South Korea liberation.jpg|1946 20ch liberation File:South korea liberation II.jpg|1946 50ch liberation File:S Korea tower.jpg File:South Korea rock.jpg| File:South Korea loco.jpg 


 * By 1949, most stamps intended for foreign postage were inscribed bilingually with just KOREA. Stamps can be dated by the Korean years semi-hidden in stamp designs, with 4283 = 1950 AD, 4293 = 1960 AD, etc.
 * Beginning in 1952, definitive designs like the turtle tomb of Mu Yal Wang, Sika Deer, hand holding new plant, etc. would be used multiple times later with different denominations, colors, papers, watermarks and perfs. Check your favorite catalog for details.
 * 1953 saw the first semipostals issued for the Red Cross.
 * In 1962, year dates were changed to the western style. Not every stamp is year-dated, however, most notably definitives. The denomination may help narrow down the time period for undated stamps.



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