| Published: July 31, 2006 | 2007 KPC-Korean Postage Stamp Catalogue |
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by Peter Beck, President KSS January 21, 2007 Woomoon: My next stop was my first-ever visit to what may be the largest stamp dealer and publisher in Korea, Woomoonkwan/Korean Philatelic Co., best known for publishing one of our bibles, the Korean Postage Stamp Catalogue. Located in a hotel around the corner from the Central Post Office, I talked with one of the owners, Mr. Park Sung-ryul, who told me with chagrin about clipping the wartime surcharge stamps from letters when he was a boy. He also told me that it was the sale of a crate-load of 1948-49 regular “Won” issues to an American packet dealer that gave him the capital to set up his business. Woomun and Mr. Park can be reached at (woomoon@woomoon.com). It was fun to be able to buy the 2007-KPC at the source. I can’t help but offer a few initial observations. You will find the same high-quality printing and binding that puts the competition to shame, but Mr. Park apologized for the fact that the 2006 stamps are not all listed properly because when Woomoon was going to press last July, unlike previous years, Korea Post had not announced all of the remaining issues for the year. I told him that in my case, I am more interested in the front of the book than the back. At first glance at the latest volume, what leapt out at me were the astronomical prices. On paper at least, I am a very rich man. #1 lists at W280,000, which is about $300. Even #5/U3 lists for W60,000. At these prices, I have enough copies of the first five issues alone to put my daughter through college! Of course, the whole set can be had for less than $20 on eBay… |
During my limited experience, 1991-To date, The Korean Philatelic Company(Co.), Limited(Ltd.) has annually published the "KPC". This year's edition, according to the rear-inside opposite page, was published
July 31, 2006. Cost: 18,000Won; US$ 20.00. Mail address: Telephone:
Voice:(From US) 011-82-2-757-7756 WebSite: www.woomoon.com |
