Nowadays, everybody is concerning about anything Korean. Won is currency unit for both Koreas, South and North. However, some people are buying and collecting Korean banknotes without enough information of how SOUTH KOREAN WON supposed to looks like. These people often ended up buying worthless NORTH KOREAN WON which are cheaper and more modern motifs.
I have banknotes from South and North Korea. They really have different appearances and motifs. See the differences and you will understand why people easily mistaken the modern, industrial motifs as South one.
SOUTH KOREAN WON (5000 WON)
FRONT
- One potrait with traditional dress (janbok). 5000 won shows Yulgok Yi I. 10000 won shows King Sejong.
- The line 'Bank of Korea' and the value in Korean.
- The serial number is using Latin Alphabets. (A,B,C...)
- Eurion Constellation in upper left of the banknote, used to prevent counterfeiting.
BACK
- The line 'Bank of Korea' and the value in English.
- Plant motifs for all banknotes. 5000 won shows a bunch of watermelons.
NORTH KOREAN WON (5 WON, 50 WON - No Longer Legal Tender)
FRONT
- One or more portraits with traditional and modern dresses. It also often showing people in military dress and industrial uniform.
- The line 'Central Bank of The People's Republic of Korea' and the value in Korean. (It has longer line than South Korean Won. See?)
- The serial number is using Korean characters. There is no ABC's in that bunch of serial numbers...
- It is often lack of safety features. Low denominations such as 5 won do not have silver stripe.
BACK
- The line 'Central Bank of The People's Republic of Korea' and the value in Korean.
- The back motifs are various, from natural scenery, monuments, Kimjongilia (national flower) to the Birthplace of Kim Il-Sung for two highest denominations.
