Detail

It was a hundred years ago this year that Hanseong General Bureau of Telegraph was established, inaugurating telepraph service between Seoul and lnchon for the first time in Korea. Korean telecommunications had, however, been developing rather slowly due to a series of national ficulties until 1962, when the first of a total of four successful five-year telecommunications development plans was launched as part of the Government`s over-all long-range economic development plan. The Tropo-Scatter telecommunications was opened between Korea and Japan in 1968. The telephones in small towns went automatic during the third five-year plan period. The fouth five-year plan focuses on the expansion of telephone facilities. As a result, telephone facilities are going electoronic, the Second Earth Station has been bulit in order to expand the facilities of overseas tele-communications, and the submarine cable has been constructed between Korea and Japan. During the fifth five-year plan period extending from 1982 to 1986, it is expected that as much as 7.5 percent of the total fixed capital formation investment, as compared with just 3 percent during the fourth five-year plan period, will be appropriated for facilities expansion, making it possible to install over one millon new telephone lines every year, so that telephone service will be available by 1987 even to those small remote villages scattered over the country. In preparation for the forthcoming age of information, work has already started for digitalization of the communications network, domestic production of the optical-fiber cable, and research is being conducted on video-tex, teletex, and the Integrated Services Digital Networks. The Ministry of Communications issues this postage stamp in commemoration of the Centennial of Korean Telecommunications ans in expectation of its continuing contribution to making our country ready to meet the 21st century of information.