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Japanese post in Korea

1876–1905 foreign postal system

The Japanese post office in Korea (在朝鮮日本郵便局, Zai-Chōsen-Nippon Yūbin Kyoku) was a postal administration established by the Meiji period Empire of Japan in late Joseon dynasty Korea.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Nov 10, 1876Founded1

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Japanese stamp 3sen over printed Korea
Photo: Korea,I J P O, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

The Japanese post office in Korea (在朝鮮日本郵便局, Zai-Chōsen-Nippon Yūbin Kyoku) was a postal administration established by the Meiji period Empire of Japan in late Joseon dynasty Korea.2

The story

The first Japanese post office in Korea was established in 1876 under the terms of the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876 in Japanese consulate district within the open port of Busan. Post offices in Wonsan and Incheon (Chemulpo), ports which had also been opened to foreign trade by the treaty, were established in 1880 and 1883, respectively. A post office was also established in the capital of Seoul in 1888. Additional Japanese post offices/agencies were opened from 1896, particular from 1899, first in other treaty ports including Masan and Gunsan, then other inland places, predominantly as a political measure, as few initially made a profit.

Initially, these post offices used stamps of Japan; however, from January 1, 1900 through April 28, 1900, stamps of Japan were overprinted with the kanji for Korea (朝鮮, Chosen).

From Wikipedia’s article on Japanese post in Korea, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. Nov 10, 1876Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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