Post Office Issues Commemorative Stamp for Ssireum

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Junho] The Ministry of Science and ICT's Korea Post has issued 410,000 commemorative stamps on the 8th to widely promote Ssireum, a traditional Korean folk game and sport.

The commemorative stamp features Danwon Kim Hong-do's painting 'Ssireumdo' as the background, depicting two dynamic Ssireum techniques: Baejigi (pressing) and Dwijigi (throwing). Ssireum was jointly inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by both North and South Korea on November 26, 2018, recognizing its global value.

Traces of Ssireum can be found in various historical artifacts, from the Goguryeo 'Gakjeochong' tomb murals to the earliest literature on Ssireum in the 'Goryeosa', as well as in Joseon Dynasty records such as the 'Joseon Wangjo Sillok' and 'Seungjeongwon Ilgi'. Despite Japanese colonial oppression, the 'Joseon Ssireum Association' was founded on November 27, 1927, and after liberation, Ssireum was adopted as an official event in the National Sports Festival. Currently, the tradition is maintained mainly by the 'Korea Ssireum Association', a non-profit organization.

Park Jong-seok, head of Korea Post, said, "We hope that the issuance of this commemorative stamp will provide an opportunity to appreciate the excitement and historical and cultural value of Ssireum, our unique folk game."

The commemorative stamps can be purchased by visiting a nearby post office or applying through the Internet Post Office.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.