South Korea
South Korea banknotes combine scholarly heritage with advanced security engineering, shaping the won into a highly disciplined post-war modern series.
No linked banknotes found for this country yet.
Design & Visual Identity
A central cultural anchor is the 50,000 Won note featuring Shin Saimdang, paired on the reverse with her botanical paintings, integrating artistic heritage into the banknote design.
The 10,000 Won note presents King Sejong, creator of Hangul, with the Irworobongdo screen of sun, moon, and peaks forming a structured royal backdrop alongside scientific and script-related elements.
Modern production by KOMSCO incorporates advanced features including holographic stripes, optically variable elements, see-through registration, and sharp intaglio relief across denominations.
A major structural change occurred in 1962, when the Hwan was replaced by the Won, marking a transition from post-war emergency currency to a stable national system.
Historical & Cultural Context
A key commemorative issue is the 2000 Won PyeongChang Olympic banknote, the first vertical-format note in South Korea, featuring winter sports imagery and a distinct layout from the standard series.
This contrast between earlier transitional currency and the modern scholar-centered series creates a layered and clearly defined collecting structure.
For Collectors
For collectors, South Korea stands out for the Shin Saimdang milestone, the cultural and linguistic legacy of King Sejong, the Hwan-to-Won transition, advanced KOMSCO security features, and the vertical 2000 Won Olympic issue, forming a technically precise and culturally grounded banknote system.
Quick Facts
Currency: South Korean Won
Issuer: Bank of Korea