Namdaemun (South Gate) in the early 1900s / Robert Neff Collection

What did Namdaemun and Gyeongbok Palace have in common in 1891?As part of the currency reforms, their images were proposed for the design of a paper bill that would make business transactions easier.

Foreigners often complained about the unwieldiness of Korean currency; one literally had to have a pony and several servants carry enough money to complete small transactions. This new bill, however, would alleviate the need to have so many servants and ponies. According to one foreign resident: The bill would be for 10,000 cash — which in 1891 was worth about $4 — and would have an image of the “Great South Gate” on the front and a picture of Gyeongbok Palace’s Audience Hall on the........

© The Korea Times