Makers of Gyeongju's "10-won bread," a popular street food shaped like a Korean 10 won coin, are facing pressure from the Bank of Korea (BOK) to change its design.

According to relevant authorities, Thursday, the BOK requested makers of the treat stop using the coin's design for their bread.

"We are in discussions with the manufacturers of the 10 won bread about making design changes within legal boundaries, in order to ensure the continued operation of their local business," the BOK said in its official statement.

Gyeongju's 10 won bread is a pastry based on the design of Korea's smallest-denomination coin, featuring an image of Dabotap, a stone pagoda from Korea's ancient Silla Kingdom located in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Since one vendor started producing it in 2019, the bread has become a regional specialty. Currently, it is sold by 17 entities within the region, and its reach has expanded to Seoul via franchising.

Under the current regulations, the BOK permits public use of monetary designs under certain conditions, including nonprofit purposes. However, it does not allow for-profit use, arguing that "imprudent commercialization of monetary design could undermine trust in the monetary system."

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BOK wants '10-won bread' to stop looking like money(https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2023/06/602_353461.html)