Postage stamp fair brings together stamp lovers

<**2>

A postage stamp fair will kick off today in Seoul, providing stamp enthusiasts with rare chance to enjoy 20,000 stamps from 30 countries.

The Korea Post and the Philatelic Federation of Korea will host the 24th Asia International Exhibition - PHILA KOREA 2009, which will run until Aug. 4 at COEX, southern Seoul. Admission is free, and an eco-friendly bag and a sports towel will be given to visitors.

This is the first time Korea hosts the event, although three world stamp exhibitions were held in the country in 1984, 1994 and 2002.

"As you probably know, Franklin Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, was an ardent stamp collector, and once concluded, `I have learned more from stamps than at school.` His words embody the fact that stamps communicate an abundance of history, anecdotes, and culture information," said Namgung Min, president of Korea Post and chairman of PHILAKOREA 2009 Organizing Committee.



"A stamp is not only a simple tool for posting letters, but a symbol of tradition and culture handed down for generations. It is also regarded an essential cultural element that plays an instrumental role in helping people understand other societies and their backgrounds."

The fair will showcase stamps ranging from expensive and rare ones to ordinary ones.

Its collections will include Japan`s earthquake emergency stamps; stamps featuring Italian war prisoners in Egypt during World War II; the world`s first omnibus stamp released to mark the 400th anniversary of the discovery of a sea route to India by Portuguese Vasco Da Gama; and cartoon characters such as Korea`s Maple Story and Japan`s Detective Conan.

The fair will consist of 12 classes including a traditional class featuring old stamps; a postal history class covering historic stamps; a thematic philately class on nature, culture, technology and other subjects and a youth philately class featuring stamps designed by teenagers.

Several award-winning stamps will be also displayed at the event.

The PHILAKOREA will also have 20 sections including the PHILA special pavilion which will highlight stamps on Korea`s historic figures and Korea`s cultural properties named as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Stamps on Korea`s traditional letters, clothes, food and houses will be also showcased at the section.

The best stamp will be picked and announced on Aug. 3.

Visitors will be also able to buy stamps at booths set up by stamp traders and postal services in Korea and overseas.

"I am certain we will all take delight in their (stamps`) aesthetics, which is an intrinsic value of philately, and that it will be a wonderful opportunity to appreciate anew the product history and culture of many Asian countries," Kim Chang-hwan, president of the Philatelic Federation of Korea, said.

"Philatelists participating in the exhibition will learn that it is not a mere postage stamp exhibition. They will see that it is both a rich stamp show and a venue for philatelists from all over Asia to get to know one another."

Commemorating the event, the Korea Post plans to issue stamps featuring the paintings of renowned painters of the Chosun dynasty - Jang Seung-eop and Hong Se-seop.

The opening ceremony of the fair will be attended by 500 postal representatives from 30 countries. The officials include Lim Che-min, vice knowledge economy minister, Surajit Gongvatana, president of the Federation of Inter Asian Philately, and Tay Peng Hian, senior consultant of the FIAP. The FIAP is a nonprofit and non-political federation of philatelic federation in Asia and Australia.

The FIAP executive committee meeting and the 17th FIAP Congress will be also held on the sidelines of the PHILAKOREA.

(hjjin@heraldm.com)



By Jin Hyun-joo