Overrun Countries: Korea
Issued on November 2, 1944, this stamp was the final stamp in the thirteen stamp Overrun Countries series and the only postage stamp in the series to represent a non-European country.
Unlike the previous twelve Overrun Countries stamps that had been issued in 1943, Korea was not invaded by the Axis in World War II, but had been an unwilling “protectorate” of Japan since the early 1900s. Japan had been asserting control over the Korean Peninsula throughout the nineteenth century. This was formalized in 1876 with the Treaty of Ganchwa, and although there were a number of revolts by Koreans over the years, Korea remained under Japanese rule. In 1910 Japan removed all pretenses or Korean self rule and declared Korea a protectorate and appointed a Governor-General to rule the country. This continued until the end of World War II when Japan was defeated by the allies and Korea was established an independent country.
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