Central Bank Finalizes New Banknote Features
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
The Bank of Korea (BOK) said Monday the 100,000 won and 50,000 won banknotes, which are scheduled to debut in early 2009, will be gray and yellow in color, respectively, accommodated with new anti-forgery features.
The 100,000 won and 50,000 won bills are 6.8 centimeters wide, but will be different in length at 16 centimeters and 15.4 centimeters, respectively. The 10,000 won bill, currently the largest denomination banknote, is green in color and is 14.8 centimeters long and 6.8 centimeters wide.
``The BOK's Monetary Policy Committee decided on the sizes and colors of the envisioned bills at its meeting in the morning,'' the bank said in a statement. ``We will issue the banknotes in early 2009, as scheduled, and introduce new anti-forgery features on them.''
The bank earlier selected Kim Koo, the late president of the interim government in Shanghai during the Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945), and Shin Saimdang, a female artist during the Joseon Kingdom, as models for 100,000 won and 50,000 won banknotes.
The image of South Korea's national flower ― a rose of Sharon, and a picture of interim government officials will be featured along the portrait of Kim Koo on the face of the 100,000 won bill. On its rear, daedongyeojido ― a map of the Korean Peninsula made by Kim Jeong-ho in the 19th century will be printed.
On both sides of the 50,000 won bill, the bank will feature famous paintings by Shin Saimdang.
BOK officials said it will take more than one year to complete the designs and put anti-forgery methods on the new banknotes, adding the country will be able to see them in early 2009.