New Bill to Feature National Flower

By Yoon Ja-youngStaff ReporterThe mugunghwa ― also called the rose of Sharon ― and Daedongyeojido, or the Great Map of Korea, will feature on the new 100,000 won banknote along with a portrait of Kim Koo.The Bank of Korea (BOK) said the national flower and the map of Korea, completed by geographer Kim Jeong-ho in 1861, have been tentatively picked as features for the new banknote that will debut in 2009.Kim Koo, the late president of the interim government in Shanghai during the Japanese colonial period from 1910 to 1945, was chosen as the main character of the country's highest denominated bill early last month. ``Considering Kim's symbolic power as a loyalist and patriot, devoted to the independence movement, the Mugunghwa will be featured on the front along with the key figures of the interim government,'' the central bank announced. ``Independence and patriotism'' will be the theme of the front side of the bill. The photo of the interim government figures was taken at the interim government building in Chungking, China, on Nov. 3, 1945, to celebrate their return to Seoul after Japan's defeat. The interim government had to move its post several times due to Japanese oppression. The back of the bill will feature the Daedongyeojido ― currently kept at the museum of Sungshin Women's University in Seoul, and the Bangudae Petroglyphs ― an engraving on a rock in Ulsan. The map and rock engraving are designated as Treasure no. 850 and National Treasure no. 285, respectively. ``The painting, a relic from the pre-historic age, symbolizes the spirit of Koreans. Animals in the rock painting will be featured on the banknote,'' the central bank said.The new 50,000 won-bill will carry a painting of grapes by Shin Saimdang and another painting by Eo Mong-ryong, both painters from the Joseon Kingdom. Shin, a female artist and the mother of famous scholar Yi I, was selected as the main character of the bill last month, despite opposition from progressive female NGOs. They said that Shin, an ideal mother of Confucian society, wasn't a role model for modern women. ``We chose to include the painting to reflect Shin's identity as a female artist,'' the central bank said.The BOK welcomes any opinion on the selection of the new banknote figures at its Website, www.bok.or.kr, until next Wednesday. chizpizza@koreatimes.co.kr