Kim Koo, Shin Saimdang Picked for Korean Banknotes

Kim Koo, a Korean resistance fighter against Japanese colonial rule, and Shin Saimdang, a woman artist of the Joseon dynasty, were selected as models for the new 100,000 and 50,000 won banknotes to be issued in 2009, respectively.

Bank of Korea (BOK) Deputy Governor Lee Seung-il, who leads the advisory committee for the new banknote design, said in a press conference yesterday, “After consulting with the government, we selected the two out of four candidates on our short list: Kim Koo, Ahn Chang-ho, Shin Saimdang and Jang Yeong-shil.”

Lee explained the reason for the selection, saying, “Kim Koo, a symbol of Korean patriotic resistance, was a leader in exploring ways for unification with outstanding drive for execution and engagement. Shin Saimdang, a woman artist, contributed to raising awareness of gender equality and increasing women’s participation in society.”

However, many say that BOK’s selection process was not transparent and there are considerable criticisms over whether the selections are appropriate.

While Shin will become the first Korean woman featured on a banknote, her son Yi Yulgok has been featured on the 5,000-won banknote. It is rare for both a mother and son to become models for bank notes.

The 50,000-won and 100,000-won bills are scheduled to come out in the first half of 2009, after the design and production of prototypes.

ssoo@donga.com