With a large population of Americans living on the Korean peninsula for reasons stretching from military duty to business and work, sending mail to the area is becoming a necessary part of keeping tabs with loved ones for many around the country. Sending mail to either North or South Korea can be somewhat confusing for those used to the American postal system. However, once the protocol for filling out address labels is fully understood, sending mail to Korea can be a simple task.
- Skill level:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things you need
- Pen
- Package or letter
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1
Mark the letter with a return address in the upper left. If sending mail from the United States, this process is similar to sending mail domestically and the address should be written according to the standards of the U.S. Postal Service.
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2
Write the recipient's name near the center of the letter or package. This is the first line of the recipient's address.
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3
Write the recipient's house number directly under their name in the center of the letter. This is the second line of the address. This can be obtained from the person or business the mail is being sent to.
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4
Write the subdivision or precinct of the city the recipient lives in directly under the recipient's house number. Cities in Korea are divided up into sections that are equivalent to subdivisions and precincts in the United States. This helps to narrow down the section of the city the mail is going to.
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5
Write the name of the recipient's city directly under the subdivision or precinct to further clarify the general location the mail is headed to. The zip code should be written after the city and can be found by searching using South Korea's postal website.
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6
Write the province the recipient is located in under the city name. Provinces in Korea are similar to states in the U.S.
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7
Write the recipient's country name, either North or South Korea, on the last line of the address under the province name.
Tips and warnings
- Although the Korean language uses an entirely different set of characters, letters to the country can be addressed using the Roman alphabet. Do not worry about attempting to write in Korean! This could simply cause the mail to get lost due to confusion.
- While North and South Korea both use similar address formats, the postal service within the two countries is extremely dissimilar. As of 2010, North Korea is an extremely totalitarian country that does not allow foreigners to live within its borders. Although mail can be sent to the country, odds are that it will be thoroughly searched, read, investigated and may not even reach its destination. While there may not be many reasons to send mail to North Korea, do so with caution if necessary and do not include any information that could be sensitive or potentially result in harm for the recipient.
