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    Where to buy medals in Seoul?


    Archer

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    Dear Forum members

    The airplane engines are warming up - a week-long visit to Seoul is in the offing.

    Is there any way in Seoul to collect medals? Any outlets? What is the inside track, please!?

    Thanks in advance

    :cheers:

    William

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    Dear Forum members

    The airplane engines are warming up - a week-long visit to Seoul is in the offing.

    Is there any way in Seoul to collect medals? Any outlets? What is the inside track, please!?

    Thanks in advance

    :cheers:

    William

    Not so easy. The ROKs control military medals and insignia very carefully, and the penalties are obviously serious, because the insignia shops around the Yong San War Museum have never even been willing to talk to me. While you're there, go visit the War Museum; they have ODM on display, and they used to have a book on the subject.

    If you can, talk with a retired military officer. Without him in front for you, you're not likely to make much progress. There is a small factory on an upper floor of a skyscraper in downtown Seoul (Not to far from Insa-Dong) where they make them. With the right connections, you can buy campaign medals there but not orders or decorations.

    There are a couple of antique shops in Insa-Dong which sometimes have one or two ODM. I saw a Grand Cross set of the old National Order (from the kingdom period) on sale for a mere $80,000 US. I was a little short of cash, so I left it there, but it was a thing of beauty.

    Good luck, let us know how you make out.

    Hugh

    Edited by Hugh
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    • 2 weeks later...

    Also a stray Nationalist China/Taiwan medal - can you identify?

    Steer clear of the "Taiwan" item in your post 7. It's one of a vast array of phony Mainland Chinese fantasy pieces flooding the market.

    The left item (blue/white ribbon) in Post 6 is KOREA, REPUBLIC OF – 20th Anniversary of ROK Army Medal. I'll try to dig out my ribbon chart. I don't recognize the right side item as military; it's a little different than the usual style. If you're still in Korea, get someone to read the top bar. It may be a sports medal or some such thing.

    Good luck.

    Hugh

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    Steer clear of the "Taiwan" item in your post 7. It's one of a vast array of phony Mainland Chinese fantasy pieces flooding the market.

    It is not a fantasy piece... its actually a copy of a real medal. But it is a fake.

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    OK - the aeroplane has landed and the medals are safely home.

    Here are some better photographs, Hugh.

    First the 40th Anniversary of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Medal. Note the western style number 40, and the motif including wings and anchor. Sources refer to this as an Army medal, but it can only be an Armed Forces medal.

    Edited by Archer
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    Second the Olympics medal.

    Note the top bar (taken in different lighting conditions)

    Any member who can read Korean please provide us with an English translation of the inscriptions.

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    The medal was obviously awarded for meritorious contributions in connection with the Seoul Olympics of 1988.

    Note the design of the obverse roundel of the medal - featuring a samtaeguk pattern - and the colour choice for the ribbon.

    Edited by Archer
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    And finally a ribbon bar, attached at the back of the Olympics Medal - the recipient's full-sized medal was unfortunately not with it.

    Any idea what it is? First Aid ... ?

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    OK - the aeroplane has landed and the medals are safely home.

    Here are some better photographs, Hugh.

    First the 40th Anniversary of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Medal. Note the western style number 40, and the motif including wings and anchor. Sources refer to this as an Army medal, but it can only be an Armed Forces medal.

    Of course, you're right, it's the 40th Anniversary medal (1988). Don't know what i was thinking. I've got the 10th through 40th. Don't know if they're still doing them, but you'd think they wouldn't have missed the 50th.

    The single ribbon is the Red Cross medal, 1956. Here's a picture of mine.

    Best,

    Hugh

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