[News Today] “CURRENCY DESIGN USE ALLOWED”

[LEAD]
'Sibwonppang' is a snack inspired by the 10-won coin shape, which is very popular to the tourists. This snack gained spotlight when the Bank of Korea objected to its sale, citing its exact resemblance to the currency. But now, contrary to its original stance, the Bank has completely reversed its stance, promising to broadly allow such uses in the future.

[REPORT]
Sibwonppang or 'ten-won bun' looks exactly like a ten-won coin with Dabotap Pagoda and all.

This Gyeongju specialty snack became popular nationwide.

But last year, the Bank of Korea asked the snack maker to change its design, claiming that the manufacturer had used the design without permission.

The BOK's demand was criticized by some as an infringement on freedom of expression. The issue was discussed even at a parliamentary inspection of state affairs.

Park Dae-chul/ PPP (Oct. 2023, Strategy, Finance Committee)
Will you allow free use of the designs?

Rhee Chang-yong/ BOK Governor
I will consider whether the rules can be applied more flexibly.

About ten months later, the BOK decided to change the criteria for currency use.

The central bank will allow the for-profit use of monetary designs.

Lee Chang-min/ Bank of Korea
As people demand for-profit use of the designs for creative economic activities, allowing it should be helpful as long as it doesn't harm the prestige, reliability.

From now on, the currency image can be used not only on sibwonppang, but also on clothes and accessories.

However, using or changing the figures on the currencies to produce goods continues to be against the law because it could violate the rights of the artist who drew the portrait on a banknote or a coin.

The BOK also made it clear as it revised the criteria of image use that any legal liability resulting from using currency designs will be placed on the user.

Although the monetary designs can now be used in different marketing activities, they cannot be used for pornographic or violent ads, gambling promotion or products that belittle specific targets.