(LEAD) S. Korea adopts new designs for e-passports, vehicle license plates

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SEOUL, Dec. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Friday adopted new designs for next-generation e-passports and vehicle license plates, the Culture Ministry said.

During a meeting of the public design committer, the ministry confirmed the new designs, which utilize traditional Korean beauty, for passports to used by members of the public, government officials and diplomats.

The design for the cover of the passport to be used by the public comes in navy blue, a change from green, which had been used since 1988, and features the embossed works of the "taegeuk" mark, a symbol that is most prominently displayed on the country's national flag.

South Korea will also introduce the new passports, which also include ones for government officials and diplomats, with polycarbonate pages, a measure to make it harder to forge, and images of Korean cultural properties on the background of the pages.

The government plans to issue the new passports starting in 2020 and the holders of current passports can use them until their expiration dates or apply for the new passports prior to their expiration dates.

During Friday's meeting, the ministry also came up with the new design for vehicle license plates that features the taegeuk pattern and a holographic image aimed at protecting them from being forged.

The new plates, made with reflective films that make them more visible at nighttime, will have the same typeface used on current plates and have one more digit.

The new plates will be issued starting September next year. Vehicle owners will be allowed to choose the current license plates or the new ones.

namsh@yna.co.kr
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