SEOUL, July 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's fake banknotes remained at a record low level in the first half amid a trend of non-cash transactions, central bank data showed Friday.
The number of counterfeit banknotes, which were found by the Bank of Korea (BOK) or reported by individuals and financial institutions, was 48 in the January-June period, unchanged compared to the same period of last year when it hit an all-time low, according to the BOK.
It was attributed to higher non-cash payments in face-to-face transactions and improved public awareness to detect fake bills.
The face value of the counterfeit notes totaled 787,000 won (572 U.S. dollars) in the first half.
The number of 10,000-won fake bills was 16, while those for 5,000 won and 50,000 won reached 14 and 11 each.
The number of the Asian country's counterfeit notes per 100 million in circulation stood merely at 0.7, much lower than 1,977 in Britain, 1,866 in the eurozone, 757 in Canada and 16.5 in Japan. ■
