Detail

`The year 1972 is the year of the rat according to the scores of centuries old Oriental signs of the zodiac. Besides measuring time, the Chinese-originated system of counting the years from time immemorial employs 10 Chinese characters or symbols for one decade which is called Chonkan. With these is combined the 12-year cycle of zodiac called Chiji represented by the equal number of different animals, including the rat. The two abovementioned sets of symbols are combined to form a cycle of 60 years, with the Chonkan revolving six times and Chiji five times. The year of the rat, that is Imja, is the 49th year in the 60-year cycle. Everytime a year-end approaches closer to us everyone of us becomes emotional over the year that is passing by, at the same time being filled with the joy and hope for meeting another new year that is to set in. Blueprints of a new sort of life are drawn to make the incoming year an ever more valuable one. Traditionally, around this time of year, people of Korea pay visits to their relatives and friends, and exchange warmhearted letters of New Year`s greetings with those whom they have not met or communicated with very often, wishing for the best of luck in the coming year. In the hope that, in the New Year, too, all of us will continue to be sincere and industrious in carrying out our task of national modernization in close unity and cooperation, and that all the wishes and aspirations of ours will come to reality, the Ministry of Communications is to release two kinds of postage stamps to be used in mailing the letters of New Year`s greeting.`