PYONGYANG — North Korea has removed all commemorative stamps that feature unification themes or depict inter-Korean summits from the website of its official stamp issuing company. This decision comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently declared South Korea as the country's "primary foe."
According to Yonhap News Agency, the North Korea Stamp Corp's website no longer displays stamps that pertain to unification efforts or involve South Korea in any capacity. Notable omissions include stamps commemorating the inter-Korean summits that took place in 2000, 2007, and 2018, which featured images of North and South Korean leaders shaking hands. These summits had been significant symbols of the potential for peaceful unification between the two Koreas.
The stamps in question include those issued for the summits between then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and South Korean Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun in 2000 and 2007, respectively. Additionally, stamps marking the 2018 summits between the current North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, and then South Korean President Moon Jae-in at Panmunjom and Pyongyang were also removed.
This action is part of a broader effort by North Korea to eliminate references to unification following Kim Jong-un's characterization of the relationship between North and South Korea as one of hostility during a year-end party meeting. Kim Jong-un has explicitly stated that unification is not a goal for North Korea and has issued threats against South Korea in the event of conflict.
In a related development, North Korea has also removed an image representing the Korean Peninsula from its major websites and omitted a phrase from its national anthem that symbolized a unified Korea.