KOREA - NORTH ( DPRK ) 조선민주주의인민공화국

North Korea (Korean: 조선; MR: Chosŏn or literally 북조선; MR: Pukchosŏn), officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, DPR Korea or Korea DPR; Korean: 조선민주주의인민공화국, Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk), is a country in East Asia, Pyongyang as its capital and the largest city in the country. To the north and northwest, the country is bordered by China and by Russia along the Amnok (known as the Yalu in Chinese) and Tumen rivers, and to the south, it is bordered by South Korea, with the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two. Nevertheless, North Korea, like its southern counterpart, claims to be the legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands.  North Korea occupies the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula, lying between latitudes 37° and 43°N, and longitudes 124° and 131°E. It covers an area of 120,540 square kilometers (46,541 sq mi). To its west are the Yellow Sea and Korea Bay, and to its east lies Japan across the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea).

In 1910, Korea was annexed by Imperial Japan. At the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945, Korea was divided into two zones, with the north occupied by the Soviet Union and the south occupied by the United States. Negotiations on reunification failed, and in 1948, separate governments were formed: the socialist Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and the capitalist Republic of Korea in the south. An invasion initiated by North Korea led to the Korean War (1950–1953). The Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire, but no peace treaty was signed.

North Korea shares the Korean language with South Korea, although some dialectal differences exist within both Koreas.^[252] North Koreans refer to their Pyongyang dialect as munhwaŏ ("cultured language") as opposed to the dialects of South Korea, especially the Seoul dialect or p'yojun'ŏ ("standard language"), which are viewed as decadent because of its use of loanwords from Chinese and European languages (particularly English). Words of Chinese, Manchu or Western origin have been eliminated from munhwa along with the usage of Chinese hancha characters. Written language uses only the chosŏn'gŭl (Hangul) phonetic alphabet, developed under Sejong the Great (1418–1450).

Postage stamps are issued by the Korea Stamp Corporation. North Korea issues copious amounts of stamps. Since the 1970s, the country has outproduced South Korea in terms of issuance. The stamps tend to portray patriotic and nationalist themes and are used as a form of propaganda, but some of them have little connection with the country.  Stamps are issued by the Korea Stamp Corporation. The country has been a member of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie since 15 June 1965. There is a museum, the Korean Stamp Museum, dedicated to philately in the country. The first stamps of North Korea were issued on 12 March 1946. Wording on the stamps is mostly in Korean. The term "DPR Korea" is written in English. 

The covers posted on March 31, 2017 and I received them on May 15, 2017. North Korea issue beautiful thematic stamps every year. But those stamps won't be available in local post offices in DPRK. Because of tough rules I have heard the native population is not allowed to write letter internationally.  But their philatelic bureau do good service.

Airmail covers from North Korea ! One of the most difficult countries to get circulated envelopes and postcards because of very limited and highly restricted international relationship. But North Korea issues a large number of thematic stamps in various theme. Inside DPRK, their citizen are not permitted to write letters outside the country and no commemorative stamps been sold . It means all philatelic items issued by DPRK is for international business. DPR Korea Post booth can be found almost all major world philatelic exhibitions and we can buy their products.