Banknote Democratic People´s Republic of Korea 500 Won - Arch of Triumph - 2008 (2009) - Specimen

The 500 North Korean won banknote, dated 2008 but released into circulation in 2009, features distinctive characteristics on both its obverse and reverse sides. Its dimensions are 145 mm in length and 65 mm in width.

On the obverse of the banknote, the central element is a representation of the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, an emblematic monument of the North Korean capital. The inscriptions are written in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, reflecting the linguistic identity of the country. 

The reverse of the banknote is adorned with ornamental motifs. The face value, '500,' is also printed in color-shifting security ink, a measure to prevent counterfeiting. The watermark integrated into the paper represents a Siebold-Magnolia.