Korean Taegeuk

About Korean Taegeuk

The first stamps of Korea, featuring the taegeuk, the yin yang symbol from the Korean flag. The Joseon Dynasty issued the first stamps in 1884. The stamps were printed in Japan. The taegeuk design symbolized Korean national identity. The 1884 issue was short lived due to the Gapsin Coup. Korean stamps from the imperial period are rare. The designs evolved through Japanese colonial rule and the post war division into North and South Korea.