Legal Ruling: Copyright for Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s Portrait Belongs to the Bank of Korea
A South Korean court has ruled that the Bank of Korea holds the copyright to the standard portrait of Admiral Yi Sun-sin featured on the 100-won coin, dismissing a lawsuit filed by the son of the late artist Jang Woo-sung.
The Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 8-3 rejected the plaintiff’s claim of copyright infringement. Artist Jang had originally painted the portrait in 1953 at the request of the Admiral Yi Memorial Society. It became Korea’s first official standard portrait of the naval hero.
In 1975, Jang adapted the portrait for use on currency at the request of the Ministry of Culture and Public Information. He then provided the modified version to the Bank of Korea, receiving 1.5 million won in compensation. The image was first used on the 500-won note and, since 1983, on the obverse of the 100-won coin.
The artist’s family argued that no formal agreement had been signed and claimed that the Bank of Korea’s continued use of the portrait over four decades amounted to copyright infringement. They sought 1 billion won in damages.
The legal dispute hinged on whether the adapted version was a separate, copyrightable work and whether ownership remained with the artist or had been transferred. While the court acknowledged that the adaptation involved creative input—such as changes to facial contours—it found that copyright had been transferred when Jang was paid for the adapted work. The appellate court upheld this decision, emphasizing that the plaintiff had provided no evidence of copyright inheritance.
This case highlights the legal complexities surrounding intellectual property rights for commissioned works, particularly in historical and public-use contexts.
https://www.chosun.com/national/court_law/2025/02/15/ET4Q2EKPZ5BCLC6YKXFG6MJW34/