The number of counterfeit banknotes detected in South Korea fell 33.9 percent to 41 in the first half of 2026, the Bank of Korea said, citing the spread of cashless payments.
The Bank of Korea announced Wednesday that 41 counterfeit banknotes were detected in the first six months of 2026. This marked a 33.9 percent drop from 62 notes found in the same period last year.
The decline reflects a steady trend driven by wider use of non-cash payment methods. Annual detections fell below 100 for the first time in 2025.
South Korea recorded about 0.6 counterfeit notes per 100 million in circulation. This compared with 4,229 in Britain, 1,461 in the eurozone, 1,411 in Canada and 8.6 in Japan.
