Detail

`This year, 1977, marks the 25th anniversary of Korea`s entry on 31 January 1952 into the International Telcommunications Union and its participaiton in the various activities of the Union. The ITU was founded on 17 May 1865 as the International Telegraph Union by the delegates from 20 countries in Paris, and later was renamed as the Inetrnational Telecommunications Union in 1932. The Union is one of the oldest world organizations, having its headquarters in Geneva, switzerland, and has 152 member contries. The purposes of the union as set forth in the intenational Telecommucations Convention are: ­­ to maintain and extend international cooperation for the improvement and rational use of televommunications of all kinds ­­ to promote the development of technical faciities and their most efficient operation with a view to improving the efficiency of telecommunication services and ­­ to harmonize the action of nations in the attainment of those ends. The fast pace of development in Korea`s telecommunications in the past decade is ascribed to the successful implementation of a series of Five­Year Expansion Plans. The fourth Five­Year Plan to be launched this year will emphasize balanced and full­fledged telecommunicaions systems between urban and rural areas, and continuous expansion and improvement of the international telcommunications systems. On this oppertunity of observing the 25th anniversary of Korea`s entry into the ITU, the Misistry of Communicatons is issuing a commemorative postage stamp in the hope that the ITU will further devote itself to the pormotion of mankind`s welfare and world peace as well.`