KOMSCO chief, PR head chronicle shift from cash to digital trust in new book

Sung Chang-hoon, president and CEO of KOMSCO, and public relations head Woo Jin-goo co-authored a book examining the state-run company’s shift from cash production toward digital identification, payment platforms and other trust-based services. The book discusses the 2023 mobile ID outage, reuse of banknote trimmings and workplace practices supporting innovation. KOMSCO’s revenue rose from 444.7 billion won in 2023 to 639.5 billion won in 2025, while operating profit increased from 11 billion won to 18.7 billion won.

The book links KOMSCO’s expertise in securing banknotes and identification documents to emerging digital services, including smartphone-based identity verification.

KOMSCO’s Moneymade brand turned discarded banknote trimmings into ballpoint pens, and its initial online batch sold out within two hours.

The authors say restoring services, communicating openly about vulnerabilities and learning from failures are necessary to maintain public trust in digital services.

KOMSCO’s revenue increased by 194.8 billion won between 2023 and 2025, while operating profit rose by 7.7 billion won over the same period.

Published Oct 15, 2026 12:00 pm KST

Sung Chang-hoon, left, president and CEO of the Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corp. (KOMSCO), and Woo Jin-goo, KOMSCO head of public relations / Courtesy of KOMSCO

Sung Chang-hoon, president and CEO of the Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corp. (KOMSCO), and Woo Jin-goo, its head of public relations, have co-authored a book exploring how the state-run company is adapting to a world increasingly moving away from cash.

“Stories of Currency That Change the World: A Journey of Turning Crisis into Opportunity” traces KOMSCO’s efforts to expand beyond printing banknotes and minting coins into digital identification, payment platforms and other services built around security and trust.

For the two authors, the challenge was to identify what remains valuable about an organization when demand for its traditional products declines. The book presents trust as the foundation of KOMSCO’s business, linking its expertise in securing physical currency and identification documents to its emerging digital services.

Mobile identification is one example. Security technology developed through decades of producing banknotes and ID cards now helps people verify their identities using smartphones.

Cover of “Stories of Currency That Change the World: A Journey of Turning Crisis into Opportunity” / Courtesy of KOMSCO

The authors also examine the difficulties accompanying that transition. They reflect on problems such as the 2023 mobile ID system outage, emphasizing the ongoing responsibility to keep digital services running reliably after launch.

Their account highlights the importance of restoring services, communicating openly about vulnerabilities and using failures to improve operations. These experiences illustrate how maintaining public trust requires reliable service as well as technical expertise.

The book also describes a different approach to finding value in KOMSCO’s existing resources. Discarded banknote trimmings were repurposed into ballpoint pens under the Moneymade brand, with the initial online batch selling out within two hours. The project offered a new use for material associated with the company’s traditional business.

Alongside these initiatives, Sung and Woo discuss the workplace culture needed to sustain change. They stress the importance of allowing employees to propose unconventional ideas and take calculated risks, rather than relying solely on instructions from management.

The book reports that KOMSCO’s revenue rose from 444.7 billion won ($332 million) in 2023 to 639.5 billion won in 2025, while operating profit increased from 11 billion won to 18.7 billion won.

Through these projects and setbacks, the authors offer an insider’s account of organizational change. Their central argument is that a shrinking core business can prompt companies to reassess their strengths and find new ways to meet the needs of the people they serve.

“We wanted to give readers practical insights by presenting a structured account of KOMSCO’s transformation and innovation,” Woo said.

Sung said, “The book offers a candid record of how KOMSCO has confronted crises and found new paths by rethinking its approach."

KOMSCO targets digital transformation, $737 million in sales by 2031

KOMSCO revives historical figures to spotlight currency's cultural value in cashless era

韩国货币监理署（KOMSCO）总裁兼首席执行官成昌勋与公关负责人禹镇九合著了一本书，探讨了这家国营企业如何从现金生产转向数字身份识别、支付平台和其他基于信任的服务。书中讨论了2023年移动身份识别系统故障、钞票边角料的再利用以及支持创新的工作场所实践。KOMSCO的营收从2023年的4447亿韩元增长到2025年的6395亿韩元，营业利润也从110亿韩元增长到187亿韩元。

该书将韩国运钞公司在保障钞票和身份证件安全方面的专业知识与新兴的数字服务（包括基于智能手机的身份验证）联系起来。

KOMSCO 旗下的 Moneymade 品牌将废弃的钞票边角料制成圆珠笔，其首批在线产品在两小时内售罄。

作者表示，恢复服务、公开沟通漏洞以及从失败中吸取教训对于维护公众对数字服务的信任至关重要。

2023年至2025年间，KOMSCO的收入增加了1948亿韩元，而同期营业利润增加了77亿韩元。

发布于2026年10月15日韩国时间下午12:00

韩国造币、安全印刷及身份证件运营公司（KOMSCO）总裁兼首席执行官成昌勋（左）和KOMSCO公共关系负责人禹镇九 / 图片由KOMSCO提供

韩国造币、安全印刷及身份证运营公司（KOMSCO）总裁兼首席执行官成昌勋和该公司公关负责人禹镇九合著了一本书，探讨这家国有企业如何适应一个日益远离现金的世界。

《改变世界的货币故事：化危机为机遇的旅程》记录了韩国货币发行公司 (KOMSCO) 如何从印刷纸币和铸造硬币扩展到以安全和信任为核心的数字身份识别、支付平台和其他服务。

对两位作者而言，挑战在于如何在传统产品需求下降的情况下，识别出一个组织仍然具有价值的要素。本书指出，信任是韩国货币安全公司（KOMSCO）业务的基石，并将其在保障实体货币和身份证件安全方面的专业知识与其新兴的数字服务联系起来。

移动身份验证就是一个例子。几十年来，钞票和身份证的生产过程中积累了安全技术，如今这些技术可以帮助人们使用智能手机验证身份。

《改变世界的货币故事：化危机为机遇的旅程》封面 / 由韩国货币监理署提供

作者还探讨了伴随这一转型而来的种种困难。他们反思了诸如2023年移动身份识别系统故障等问题，强调了在数字服务推出后，持续确保其可靠运行的责任。

他们的经历凸显了恢复服务、公开沟通漏洞以及利用故障改进运营的重要性。这些经验表明，维护公众信任不仅需要技术专长，还需要可靠的服务。

书中还介绍了一种挖掘韩国货币公司（KOMSCO）现有资源价值的全新方法。废弃的钞票边角料被重新制成圆珠笔，并以“Moneymade”品牌销售，首批线上产品在两小时内售罄。该项目为公司传统业务相关的材料找到了新的用途。

除了这些举措之外，Sung 和 Woo 还探讨了维持变革所需的职场文化。他们强调，应该允许员工提出非传统的想法并承担经过深思熟虑的风险，而不是仅仅依赖管理层的指示。

该书报道称，KOMSCO 的收入从 2023 年的 4447 亿韩元（3.32 亿美元）增长到 2025 年的 6395 亿韩元，而营业利润从 110 亿韩元增长到 187 亿韩元。

通过这些项目和挫折，作者从内部视角讲述了组织变革的故事。他们的核心论点是，核心业务的萎缩会促使公司重新评估自身优势，并寻找满足服务对象需求的新途径。

Woo表示：“我们希望通过系统地介绍韩国金属集团的转型和创新，为读者提供切实可行的见解。”

宋先生说：“这本书坦诚地记录了韩国矿业集团公司如何应对危机，并通过重新思考其方法找到新的发展道路。”

KOMSCO 的目标是实现数字化转型，到 2031 年销售额达到 7.37 亿美元。

韩国货币监理署（KOMSCO）通过复兴历史人物形象，凸显货币在无现金时代的文化价值。