South Korea has sparked a gender row following its decision to print banknotes featuring the face of a woman who symbolizes motherhood in the country.

The country's Central Bank has chosen to print the new 50,000 won note with the image of Shin Saimdang, the first woman to feature in the country's currency notes.

Shin Saimdang, nicknamed "wise mother", is considered to be a maternal icon. She was known for her painting and calligraphy skills and gave birth to the famed Confucian scholar, Yi I, who was also known as Yulgok. She is credited "for placing her son on the path to fame", reports Press TV.

According to BBC News, a government website describes her as "the best example of motherhood in Korean history" and the Central Bank said she was chosen "to promote gender equality and women's participation in society."

But the country's women's rights campaigners, who have been trying to push other women candidates who have risen to prominence in a male-dominated society, are not happy. They argue that the bank's move reinforces the stereotype of a woman's place being at home and looking after her children's education.

Press TV quotes Kwon Hee-jung, secretary general of the women's rights group IF saying: "Although women nowadays are highly capable and educated, the idea of 'wise mother and good wife' holds them down."

The new 50,000 won notes will appear in early 2009.