SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Korea Bizwire) – The familiar sight of plain red brick or stone post offices in neighborhoods across South Korea is undergoing a significant transformation.
Korea Post, which operates under the authority of the Ministry of Science, announced that through a nationwide initiative to rebuild aging post offices, eight local post offices have reopened since the middle of December, sporting completely new looks.
Targeting over 400 local post offices that are more than 35 years old, the Postal Services Headquarters is abandoning their uniform exteriors. Instead, these buildings are being rebuilt to reflect local culture and specialties, turning them into potential tourist attractions.
Last year, approximately 100 billion won was invested in the reconstruction of 50 post offices, with the results gradually emerging since the end of the year.
One of the most notable transformations is the Hyeonnam Post Office in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, which reopened on December 26. Fittingly for a ‘surfing mecca,’ the post office features murals of surfers riding waves and sculptures that seem to break through the building’s walls.
Another eye-catching redesign is at the Bongsandong Post Office in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, which opened on December 18.
It boasts a mural depicting the Yeosu Sea. Similarly, the Songdo Post Office in Busan, which reopened January 11, now resembles a beachside café.
The Sorok Post Office in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, has erected a sculpture modeled after the ‘Sorok Mailbox,’ a registered national cultural asset displayed in the Postal Museum.
The Pungyang Post Office in Goheung has placed sculptures of the local specialty, yuzu, and characters from the Naro Space Center. In Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, known for its apples, the Imgye Post Office has attached luminescent apple-shaped sculptures to its walls.
Some of the reconstructed post offices have been repurposed to include youth startup support centers or integrated welfare centers, reflecting local needs.
As of last December, nearly half of the 3,348 post office counters nationwide, or 1,552 (46.4%), were located in towns and villages.
With such a high demand for administrative functions that reflect local characteristics, the number of these multifunctional, culturally-themed post offices is expected to increase.
Image credit: Korea Post / photonews@koreabizwire.com
