This issue consisted of a set of stamps picturing a small island, and were released by Seoul in South Korea. The problem centred around the fact that the legal ownership of the island is in dispute. South Koreans claim ownership of the island, which they call Tokto, and ownership is also claimed by Japan, who call it Takeshima.

The two countries have constantly disputed ownership of the islands since the end of World War II. The islands, which lie between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, are inhabited only by a garrison of South Korean soldiers, whose primary purpose is to stop Japan taking control!

On the day the stamps were issued, South Koreans queued up outside to purchase the stamps as a sign of national pride. The stamps< were in strips of four, featuring flora and fauna of the rocky outcrops. Amazingly, all 2.24 million stamps were sold out within a few hours!

Japan asked South Korea to reconsider the issue six months previously to no avail, but Seoul refused saying it was their sovereign right to issue them. Japan threatened diplomatic protests but to no avail. Japan could do nothing to stop the issue.

Interestingly, records show that the squabbles over stamp issues have been raging for years. South Korea issued an image of the island on a stamp back in 1954. It was not publicised and received little attention, but Japan responded, rather oddly, by returning any mail bearing these stamps, saying they were not valid for postage!

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