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Korea, Republic of
South Korean Won (KRW)
Curiosities about the currency
The South Korean won is the currency in circulation in South Korea since 1945, after the end of the Second World War. It was later temporarily replaced by the hwan. Its symbol is ₩ and its ISO, which is KRW, is also used.
The banknotes of the South Korean won are 1000, 5000, 10000, and 50000 KRW. All of them are made of paper and the current series was issued between 2006 and 2009. There is also a 2000 South Korean won banknote that commemorates the celebration of the Olympic Games.
Currently, the currencies of South Korea are 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 won. The first two are difficult to find, as prices tend to be rounded to ten and their value is minimal. The reverse always shows the value, the name of the country, and the year of minting.
The words "won", "yen" and "yuan" are cognates, that is, terms with the same terminological origin. All three mean that an object is round, which refers to the shape of the currencies.
There are two different designs for the 10 South Korean won currency. What is the reason? The production cost was 38% higher than the face value. Therefore, the size was reduced and the manufacturing metal was changed from copper to aluminium.
What do the banknotes/coins look like?
Front part
*The banknotes and coins correspond to the newest issued series and are for reference. Colours may vary and there may be more designs than those shown.
