New Banknote to Feature Korea`s National Flower

The Korean 100,000 won banknote, which will be issued in 2009, will have images of key figures of the provisional government of the Republic of Korea, Mugunghwa, the national flower of Korea, Daedongyeojido (a map of Korea) and others. The Bank of Korea said that it decided the subjects to be printed on the design of the large denomination bill on Friday, and that it will accept the opinion of the general public for the five days from Dec. 7 through its website(www.bok.or.kr).

The new 100,000 won banknote will have an image of Baek Bum Kim Gu, a symbol of the founding fathers of Korea, on the obverse side, with images of key figures of the provisional government of the Republic of Korea and Mugunghwa under the theme of independence and patriotism. The new note will use the photo of the figures taken to commemorate their return to Korea at the building of the provisional government of Korea in Chungking, China on November 3, 1945.

It will have images of Daedongyeojido (National Treasure No. 850) made by Kim Jeong-ho in the Joseon Dynasty, and the Bangudae Petroglyphs located in Ulsan (National Treasure No. 285) on the flip side of the 100,000 won banknote under the theme of peace, unification and prosperity.

A 50,000 won banknote will have an image of a grape painting made by Shin Saimdang, a woman artist of the Joseon Dynasty, on the obverse side, and an apricot tree work painted by Eo Mong-ryong, a painter of the middle Joseon Dynasty era.

The Bank of Korea said the painting of an apricot tree was in fashion in the time when Shin Saimdang was alive, and it chose one of the most distinguished Korean paintings of an apricot tree.

The central bank plans to decide on the design by the end of this year after an agreement with the government and a consultation with the Monetary Policy Committee.

On the other hand, some netizens posted their opinion on the website of the BOK after the announcement of the currency design, saying that the depiction of Daedongyeojido of the Joseon Dynasty era is not appropriate because the map does not have correct features and does not have Dokdo Islet on it.