KOMSCO to Embed 'Watermark' on Park Shinyang's Artworks

On May 29, the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation announced that it had signed a brand protection and security printing agreement for artworks and related products with artist and actor Park Shinyang.

Both parties agreed to pursue a new business model for brand protection by combining art and security technology.

Sung Changhoon, president of the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation (left), is taking a commemorative photo with writer Park Shinyang (right) after signing the 'Artwork Brand Protection Agreement' on the 29th. Photo by Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation

Through this agreement, the corporation plans to embed digital watermarks in Park's print artworks, certificates of authenticity, and postcards, creating an environment where any collector can verify the authenticity of their items.

The digital watermark is a technology developed by the corporation that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to generate and embed a security pattern invisible to the naked eye, which can then be scanned with a dedicated app to verify authenticity.

This not only protects the artist's creations but also enhances the trustworthiness and collectible value for consumers who own the works.

In particular, the contract between the corporation and Park is significant as it marks the first case of applying digital security technology to cultural and artistic works.

The corporation expects that, based on this agreement, there will be opportunities to expand and integrate this technology with other high-value creative works such as luxury handicrafts, fashion, and design products in the future.

Sung Changhoon, president of the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, stated, "This collaboration is an innovative challenge that expands our security technology into the private art market," and added, "We will continue to contribute to strengthening the trust foundation of the cultural and arts industry by transferring and spreading public technology to the private sector."

Meanwhile, Park Shinyang has recently been recognized as one of the most notable painters in the art world, having been invited to special exhibitions at the mM Art Center, the Osaka Korean Cultural Center, and the Incheon Art Show.

Park has maintained an artistic philosophy that "expression gains its greatest meaning when it is seen by someone, evokes emotion, and that emotion influences the person," and, as such, has not sold original works but has only presented them to audiences through exhibitions.