Korean Stamp Question

When I look at stamp catalogs, I find stamps for Korea in the very early 1900's, but then from about 1910 to mid to late 1940's I don't find any listed at all. What happened in those years? Did they just not issue any stamps? How did they mail mail then?

They are listed in Scott from 1884 under Korea....
Japanese occupation of Korea 1905-1946(Japanese stamps were used)
Some examples below on covers:
http://www.harmerschau.com/php/chap...er=11&page=1
Some history is needed for all this:
http://www.yoshabunko.com/empires/D..._stamps.html

The Japanese happened in those years, annexing Korea.

Oh. So Korea didn't issue any stamps, they were just a part of Japan and used Japanese stamps then?

No, they were not part of Japan. They ere occupied by Japan and had to use Japanese Occupation stamps as perf12 is saying in his post

Peter

No korean stamps during the Japanese Colonial period in Korea.
In Manchuko it was another story; stamps were printed especially
for that territory.Taiwan was a Territory of Japan also.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Japanese Occupation stamps (overprinted with the Japanese characters for Korea - Scott 1-15) were issued earlier, in 1900, than the formal annexation/colonization of Korea, 1910-1945, so the original poster's follow-up comment is not too far off the mark, imo (except that it was just "Korea", before the split *).

I don't know the specific timeline, but I think it is correct to say that the regular stamps of Japan were used in Korea during most, if not all, of this time of the formal colonization. (So, like was said above, that's why there's this big gap in the Scott catalog, and also why the first issues after that period were issued under US military rule.)

* Just to clarify another small point: this was all during the period when Korea was just one country, before the Korean war and the subsequent split into North and South Korea.

Korea was formally annexed by Japan in 1910 and used all Japanese definitive, commemorative, semi-postal, airmail stamps, revenue stamps and postal stationary, without overprints, throughout the county from 1905 until 1945 at which time existing stocks of Japanese postal materials was overprinted for use by the United States Military Government occupation period of Korea. The Empire of Korea ceased issuing stamps in 1905 for domestic and international mail and the Japanese Postal System formally replaced the Korean Postal System during the amalgamation of Japan and Korea postal systems.

The only way to discern Japanese stamps used in Korea during this period is by the distinct style native cancellations indicating the class post offices, or boat mail, used to pick-up mail from the fisherman at sea. The cancellations are distinct to the country and defer from China, Taiwan and Manchuria (Chientao) native cancellations of the period. The Japanese stamps, et al, without overprints, are seen used in the Korea mainland and on international mail as early as 1900 and was used concurrently with the "Japan Offices Overprints" used at the original I.J.P.O. post offices (Treaty Post Offices), not in the Korean Post Offices.

In fact, the "Japan Offices" overprinted stamps were used primarily for international mail, not for domestic mail, and were discontinued on April 1, 1901 in Korea. Domestic cover usage is found with "Japan Offices" overprints but these covers are extremely rare and maybe considered "favor" usages. Japanese issues, without overprints were used at the I.J.P.O.s Treaty Post Offices located at Seoul, Ginseng, Fusan, Keijo (Seoul), Chemulpo, and several other the Korean I.J.P.O.s' for international mail throughout the late 1880 to 1900 until the Japan Offices overprinted stamps were issued, however I have doubt all the I.J.P.O.s in Korea were issued the overprinted stamps, as I have not seen them used from all offices.

Mizuhara had an excellent collection of "Japan Used in Korea", which both Overprints and general usage 1905-1945 illustrated in his 10 Volume reference printed by the Japan Philatelic Society. I think Volume 4 or Volume 5 was dedicated to Korea.

A copy of my gold medal collections of "JAPANESE OCCUPIED KOREA, 1905-1945" and "EMPIRE KOREA 1884-1905" is in the reference stacks of the Philatelic Foundation, New York and at the American Philatelic Research Library in Bellefonte, Pa. Additional information on the subject can be found in back issues of the excellent publication, "JAPANESE PHILATELY" published by the International Society for Japanese Philately.

One thing about the period, this material is very scarce and hard to find. Why? The Koreans deeply resented, more like hated the Japanese Occupation period. The Japanese were brutal occupiers. The Japanese attempted to expunge the Korean culture forcing the children and parents to learn the Japanese language and customs in a one-year period. Children were expected to teach parents. Those failing to do so were beaten and humiliated in front of their friends and peers. Children were forced to buy military commemorative post cards with stamps on them each week at school to support the Japanese Air Force and Army -- to pay for war materials in the build-up to WWII. Children failing to have money to make a purchase were beaten in front of their class by a military officer. A child failing to have money repeatedly had their parents brought before the class or school and beaten and sometimes killed to set examples. The same happened with learning the Japanese language.

After the Koreans were liberated at the end of WWII there was a nationwide effort to "cleanse" the nation of ANYTHING Japanese-related, that included stamps, covers -- anything. Covers and postal stationary was burned along with books, clothing and anything Japanese-related. Even today, many Koreans want nothing to do with collecting this material and will get hostile if the subject is mentioned.

So who collects Japan Occupied Korea? Anyone interested in Japan. Where is the material? Japan, Europe and the United States. Why?

The material that ended up in the United States was "liberated" and brought home by the USMG (United States Military Government) troops --- Macarthur's forces stationed in Korea until the Republic of Korea was formed. The USMG forces stationed in the country through the end the Korean War in 1952 were responsible for saving much of the material found in the U.S. today – but most collectors do not recognize it for what it is and how scare it is. You really need to be able to read Kanji to read the cancels.

Other material was saved by military troops, who were collectors, stationed with the United Nations forces during the Korean War in the 1950s. Without these collectors, and the collectors in Japan, this material would not exist today.

Hal

Map:


1930:


Just a very few of the different Japanese occupation stamps and overprinted stamps
;some of the far away places...

In my search for Esperanto postal history on ebay, I once saw a lovely postcard with a photo of young women in Korean garb, bearing an Esperanto inscription and a Keijo (Japanese-occupied Seoul) postmark. It would have been a wonderful addition to my collection, but unfortunately I was outbid on it.