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Korea North (DPRK)
Paleontology and Paleoanthropology related stamps (dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, Charles Darwin)

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Contents:

• Country overview
• Philately at North Korea
• Official stamps of North Korea related to Paleontology
• Another stamps of North Korea to consider
• Postmarks and meter franking of North Korea related to Paleontology
• References

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia, in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang is both the nation's capital as well as its largest city, with a population just over 2.5 million. To the north and northwest the country is bordered by China and by Russia along the Amnok (known as the Yalu in China) and Tumen rivers.The country is bordered to the south by South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea), with the heavily-fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone separating the two.. [R1]
     
The first stamps of North Korea were issued on 12 March 1946: Rose of Sharon and Samson Rock. Stamps prior to 1974 dealt primarily with subjects relating specifically to North Korea, its foundation, Kim Il-Sung and other patriotic themes. After 1974, in a bid to bring more hard currency into the country, North Korea began issuing stamps with wide-ranging themes (such as Joan of Arc, airships, sports, wildlife, fossils, dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals ) and using English descriptions.  Wording on the stamps is mostly in Korean. The term "DPR Korea" is written in English. ^[R2]
Distingushed from most of other countries in the world, North Korea issued separate stamps for foreign stamp collectors and regular postal use.

•  Stamps for collectors are printed on high quality paper and are almost always issued in conjunction with miniature sheets, do not enter the internal postal system apart from being used by foreigners and are largely unknown by the general population. Many additional philatelic material such as imperforated stamps, proofs, postal stationery, aerograms etc.  issued to be sold for reach collectors.
•   Stamps for regular postal needs are issued for regular postal are printed on relatively poor quality paper, thin, soft and yellowish. This however, changed beginning 1995, after which it is more difficult to tell the difference between the two issues.

Stamps for regular postal use are distributed by local post offices throughout the country. Stamps for collectors are printed in China and have very high face value compared to stamps for regular need. ^[R3] It sold outside of the country by some distributor and directly by Korean Stamps Corporation on  various philatelic shows, mostly in Asia region.  It is even possible to prepare a cove, either in advance or at their desk and ask them to post it when they back to Korea. 

Due the facts above philatelic values of these stamps is questionable and it should be avoided from serious collections, even though the stamps shown below are listed in major stamps catalogues and can be even used for postal purpose.