▲ This photo provided by the Bank of Korea shows misprinted counterfeit 50,000-won banknotes. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

fake banknotes-H1 tally

Counterfeit banknotes detected in S. Korea fall sharply in H1

SEOUL, July 8 (Yonhap) -- The number of counterfeit banknotes detected in South Korea fell sharply during the first half of 2026 as cashless transactions became more widespread, the central bank said Wednesday.

A total of 41 counterfeit banknotes were found in the first six months of the year, down 33.9 percent from 62 a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The figure has declined steadily in recent years amid a growing preference for non-cash payment methods, falling below 100 for the first time on an annual basis in 2025.

The BOK said South Korea detected about 0.6 counterfeit banknotes per 100 million notes in circulation, compared with 4,229 in Britain, 1,461 in the eurozone, 1,411 in Canada and 8.6 in Japan.

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