日韓通信業務合同 (Japan-Korea Joint Communication Service) (日韓通信業務合同)
It was an agreement formally called '韓国通信機関委託ニ関スル取極書' (Memorandum Concerning the Commission of Korean Communication Institution). In 1905, the Empire of Japan made the Korean Empire to transfer the control of communication services, which had been operated by Korean Empire, to Japan.
The history of Korean Post
On November 18, 1884, the postal service started in Korea by the launch of the General Office for Postal Administration (ko:우정총국) in Seoul, a central bureaucracy, which operated the business. The printing of postal stamps was ordered from the National Printing Bureau of Japan (or a private printing firm in Osaka according to some books) and services started. Hong Young Shik, who had studied in Japan as a member of the Courtiers' Observation Mission and only 30 years old at that time, was the central figure in establishment of postal service.
In what became known as the Gapsin Coup, an enlightenment group led by Hong Young Shik, Kim Ok-gyun and Pak Yonghyo, who opposed any Qing interference in Korea's internal affairs, seized the occasion of a ceremony marking the start of operations at the General Office for Postal Administration to stage a coup on December 4; their coup was intended to transform Korea into a constitutional monarchy. This coup ended in a failure due to a military intervention of Qing's army led by YUAN Shikai. The Postal Administration Office was burnt down and Hong Young Shik, who was the responsible person of postal service, was executed for being a part of it. Consequently, the postal services were forced to close shortly after its opening. Two stamps issued were invalidated and were sold at a very low price together with stamps of other face value, which were printed but not issued. In fact, only a small amount of mails were handled in Korea at the time. Nowadays, Hong Young Shik is respected by Korean people as the father of modern Korean postal service.
Korean postal service was resumed in July 1895. Taegeuk stamp was issued at the time. However the postal service was soon left stranded therefore a French man Clemenceau (クレマンセー) was invited as an advisor in 1898. This was because France was trying to expand its influence over the Far East at the time, by the Triple Intervention against Japan. Therefore, France had also interfered in modernization of Korea. In 1900, the Korean government set up 通信院 (Communication Institute) and became a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to join the international postal network. Korea renamed itself to the Korean Empire in 1897.
Japan Post Office in Korea
Japan concluded Japanese-Korea Treaty of Amity with Korea in 1876; as a result, Japan acquired an enclave in Busan. The post office was one of the governmental institutions established at this occasion. This was the first modern postal service practiced in Korean Peninsula. It was originally aimed to facilitate the exchange of posts between Japan and Korea, but later more post offices were established in various regions of Korea by Japan. Japanese stamps were used in these post offices and they were sold in the local currency. The stamps sold in Japan Post Office in Korea on January 1, 1900 were overprinted with "朝鮮" (Korea in Chinese character), but were canceled at the end of March 1901.
During and after the Korean government launched its own postal service, Japan Post Office not only continued its service but also expanded its operation area. This resulted in the coexistence of two communication entities in Korean Peninsula, each run by the Japanese and Korean governments.
Japanese-Russo War
In February 1904, Japan declared war against Russian Empire and the Japanese-Russo War broke out. One cause of the war was the escalating conflict between Japan and Russia, who had been pursuing southward expansion in the Far East, in Manchuria and Korean Peninsula. On February 23, 1904, Japan concluded the Japan-Korea Protocol with Korea, who had announced 'Neutrality Declaration'; this allowed deployment of Japanese forced throughout Korean Peninsula if Japan required and a right of way was guaranteed. Furthermore, the First Japan-Korea Agreement was concluded in August, which brought the Korean government to receive Japanese financial and diplomatic advisors as well as to sit at the negotiating table for the conclusion of a treaty. The war progressed in Japan's favor and Japan won at last, which led Japan to demand further concession to the Korean government in 1905.
Takeover of Postal Service by Japan
Tanetaro MEGATA, a financial advisor dispatched from Japan to the Korean government under the terms of the First Japan-Korea Agreement, initiated several measures to rebuild the finances of the Korean government, including the abolishing of the 典圜局, the Korean mint; Megata commissioned a mint in Osaka to manufacture coins instead. As one of the measures, he urged Korea to commission the communication service to Japan.
One of the reasons he raised was the annual deficit of 100,000 yen produced by communication services. However some people claimed that the deficit was inevitable owing to the mounting capital investment required to expand the postal network and communication network throughout Korean Peninsula, in addition to the poor demand for communication, as Korean Peninsula had not yet been economically developed. On the other hand, Japanese media supported Japan's takeover of communication service without mentioning such background; for example, the Yomiuri Shinbun commented that the service should be commissioned to Japan for the reason that the flaw of Korean communication institution on March 23.
Although there were some dissenting voices in Korea, Japan suggested that 'Korea would benefit administratively and economically if Korean communication institutions were streamlined and combined into one organization with Japanese communication institution' and the two government signed a treaty 'Memorandum Concerning the Commission of Korean Communication Institution' on April 1. The following was entered in a Japanese official gazett on April 28.
Article 1: The Korean government should commission the control of domestic post, telegraph and telecommunication services to the Japanese government.
This memorandum stated that the postal, telegraph and telecommunication services managed by the Korean government should be commissioned to the Japanese government. It was formally a commission but was actually a takeover to place all the information transmission network under the control of Japan. Japan began the takeover of communication institution on May 18 and completed on July 1. According to '韓国事務引継顛末概要' (Summary of Korean communication business takeover) written by a transition chairman in charge of the takeover process, Japanese postal authority continued to employ 773 out of 1044 staffs (government officials and frontline workers) of 通信院 (Communication Institute) who had worked for communication services, but other 271 staffs either rejected the appointment or were fired for allegedly resisting against takeover. The holes left by the stiff resistance of Korean workers were filled by almost forcibly gathering former workers of communication services who had been dismissed for having done wrong or retired for health reason.
This was how communication business by Japan had started. However, it had became a business entity managed by foreign government to some Korean people's point of view, therefore it also became an attack target of anti-Japan armed group. Just before the annexation of Korea in 1909, the staffs and facilities of communication services were frequently attacked by insurgents, which caused causalities. Transportation of posts was regarded as dangerous and was protected by soldiers and the transporters defended themselves by a gun for self-defense.
日韓通信業務合同紀念切手 (Commemorative postage stamp for Japan-Korea Joint Communication Service)
Ministry of Communication of Japan issued a commemorative postage stamp called "日韓通信業務合同紀念" (Commemoration of Japan-Korea Joint Communication Service) on July 1, to mark the completion of takeover. This was the fourth commemorative postage stamp issued by Japan and Sekko HIBATA selected the design. The stamp was planned and printed in Japan, with the original painting drawn by Tadakazu ISOBE and the original plate engraved by Tamejiro HOSOGAI. But there were many unusual things about the design of this commemorative postage stamp.
Firstly, it lacked the name of the country '大日本帝国郵便' (Empire of Japan Post). This is one of the only two stamps issued in the 20th century without the name of the country, except for 'hand-carved stamps', which were ordinary stamps in early days. On the stamp was the title '日韓通信業務合同紀念切手' (Commemoration of Japan-Korea Joint Communication Service) written from right to left as '紀念' (commemorative) was used in Japan at the time instead of currently used '記念'. The face value 'Three sen' (one sen is 1/100 of one yen) was written in a big letter within a circle frame in the center, pigeons were added above and below the circle and lightning symbolizing telegraph was added at the lower part. The Crest of the Chrysanthemum of the Imperial Family, the Japanese national emblem, and Yihwamunjang (대한제국의 국장)of the House of Yi, the national emblem of the Korean Empire was located on the same level within the circle frame in the center, which meant the national emblems of Japan and Korea were treated on the equal footing. It is said to have intended to emphasize on '合同' (joint) and equal merger, as the title of the stamp says, despite Japan forcibly absorbed Korean Communication service.
A record tells that 2,500,000 '日韓通信業務合同紀念切手' (Commemorative postage stamp for Japan-Korea Joint Communication Service) were printed and 1,000,000 of them were delivered to Japanese post offices in Korea, Qing (China) and Taiwan, which was then a Japanese Colony. However, according to the amount issued (sold) recorded in '逓信省第二十年報' (the 20th annual report of Ministry of Communication), 820,000 out of the total sales of 1,480,000 were sold in Korea. In sum, it was a Japanese commemorative postage stamp sold more in foreign countries than in Japan immediately after its issuance.
Subsequent Postal Stamps of Korean Peninsula
The sales of old Korean stamps were finished on June 30, 1909, and use of remaining stamps was also banned on August 30. Therefore even before the annexation of Korea, use of Japanese stamps, which used to be limited in Japanese post offices in Korea, expanded to all over Korea. Although Korea was a protectorate of Japan between July 1905 and 1910, use of stamps of the suzerain in the mass was unusual compared to the protectorate policy practiced in other countries.
Korean original era name '隆熙' was used in the Korean Peninsula after the takeover by Japan, but Meiji, the name of a Japanese era, was used for postmarks (however, The Christian era was used for the postmarks stamped on international posts in European text, which was the same manner as in Japan). Japanese postal stamps were used in Korean Peninsula until North and South Korea issued their own postal stamps in 1946.
Remarks
Although the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Japan published the Book of 120-year History of Japanese Modern Post in 1990, it did not mention about the postal situations of its foreign parts, especially those of Korean Peninsula. To complement this insufficiency, Meiso MIZUHARA, a famous philatelist, published "History of Korean Modern Post 1884-1905" in 1994.
A commemorative postage stamp was not issued at the occasion of the Japanese Annexation of Korea in 1910, but Chosen Sotoku-fu (Governor-General of Korea) issued the government-regulated postcard '朝鮮総督府始政紀念' (Inauguration of Chosen Sotoku-fu) in October.
As mentioned above, Korean stamps were valid after the take over of postal service by Japan and there is what is called combination covers, which have both Japanese and Korean stamps on the same envelope; they are prized among philatelists.