Detail

`On September 28, 1878, exactly 100 years ago from now, a custom house was established in Busan for the first time in Korea. Although there had been founded a pre-modern type of institution similar to the custom house even before 1878, it was in the latter half of the 19th century that custom houses in the modern sense of the words were established in our country after the opening of our coastal ports with the landing of foreign capitalism in Korea. In the early stage of custom house, foreigners were entrusted with the operation for sometime, or they were closed at times. Following the liberation of Korea from alien domination on August 15, 1945, and the subsequent period of the United States military government, Korea recovered the sovereign right of customs with the establishment of the Republic of Korea Government. For a pretty long period of time thereafter, custom houses played a great role in collecting tax revenue up until several years after the Korean War. In the period of economic development since the 1960`s, customs personnel exerted themselves in the eradication of the chronic evil of smuggling, thus contributing a great deal to the building of a firm foundation for industrial develoment of the country. In 1977, exports of our country topped $10 billion for the first time, and from this year trade activities of our country have to be adjusted by the customs policy as a result of import liberalization and the strengthened competitive power of our industries in the internation market. In observance of the centennial anniversary of the custom house, the Ministry of Communications is issuing a commemorative postage stamp, with a custom flag and two custom officers as its design, in the hope that the customs administration will further contribute to the development of our national economy and the prosperity of all our people.`