Apology for the Postponement of Philakorea 2024 to 2025

Herewith I regrettably report to you that Korea Post has made a decision to postpone Philakorea 2024 to 2025. Although the head of the Korean delegation to Thailand 2023 announced and confirmed that Philakorea would be held in August, 2024 on the occasion of the Korean Night event, general government budget situation forced every organization under the government control to radically cut down next year’s budget. At the moment the Korean government in general faces the enormous astronomical amount of budget deficit for the first time ever experienced for several decades specially next year and Korea Post also has been pushed to cancel or postpone many kind of the international event and domestic functions in particular. At least we saved Philakorea’s destiny and could postpone it, not cancel it.

For the preparation of Philakorea 2024, we are very much convinced that FIP & FIAP really cared about the future of Philakorea and Mr. Prakob, the President of FIP visited Korea himself with Mr. Tan, the Consultant for Philakorea 2024 and Mrs Ong, the Secetary General last November to supervise the overall procedure of the event preparation. However, because of this abrupt, but inevitable decision making by Korea Post, their such valuable, marvelous and painstaking effort was evaporated. Furthermore, FIP and and other member countries including Denmark and China were also harassed by the capricious change of dates and other conditions proposed by the Korean side. We tried to make a compromise for the many unsolved problems in November and we thought that we had overcame the final deadlock eventually in Bangkok, thanks to the FIP staffs’ generous and firm determination. But we have faced another unexpected situation, namely disastrous budget shortage after the comeback from Bangkok. In this regard, I would like to convey my sincere apology to all the family members of FIP & FIAP.

Up to now more than 50 countries including all philatelically renowned giants responded to the invitation to Philakorea. Those countries’ proposals for the commissioner and juror candidates can be kept as they were unless there is a sudden withrawal or renewal from each country. And they can also withraw the former applications right now and later propose other candidates again depending on each member country’s different circumstances.

Therefore, I would appreciate it if you could let us know about any kind of change of application on this matter and if there is no other notice from you, I assume that the already proposed persons (commissioner & juror) will remain as they are. In closing, once again I would like to convey my apology from the bottom of the heart for what regrettably happened to us in December and I promise all of you that we will make every possible effort to revitalize the preparation of the newly planned Philakorea 2025. However, before that initiation, the Korean side is waiting for the final coordination process of the FIP.

Warmest regards,

Jin Hur