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Record-breaking gold prices cast new spotlight on 'Golden Bat' statue in Hampyeong County

Published: 27 Jan. 2026, 19:34

The ″Golden Bat″ statue, a landmark sculpture inside the Golden Bat Exhibition Hall near Hampyeong Expo Park in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla [HAMPYEONG COUNTY]

Record-breaking gold prices are casting a new spotlight on the “Golden Bat” statue, a landmark sculpture mostly made from pure gold in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla.

The price of one don, or 3.75 grams, of gold reached 1,034,000 won ($710) on Tuesday, the highest level ever recorded domestically, according to Hampyeong County and the Korea Gold Exchange. Prices first crossed the 1 million won mark last week and have continued to set records.

Analysts attribute the surge to rising global gold prices and growing demand for safe-haven assets. The rally has elevated the profile of the statue, a public artwork that was once criticized as an extravagant use of local funds.

The sculpture, completed in 2008, contains 162 kilograms (357 pounds) of pure gold and 281 kilograms of silver. Standing 2.1 meters (6.9 feet) tall and 1.5 meters wide, it depicts six golden bats spreading their wings above a circular silver structure. At the time, material costs alone totaled about 2.7 billion won.

The project initially drew criticism after visitor numbers fell short of expectations, prompting questions about wasted public money and the statue's effectiveness in boosting tourism.

Children and adults are seen during a visit to the ″Golden Bat″ statue, a landmark sculpture inside the Golden Bat Exhibition Hall near Hampyeong Expo Park in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla, on April 24, 2024. [YONHAP]

But with gold prices steadily rising, public perception has shifted. Since the Korea Gold Exchange began tracking prices in 2008, gold has remained in the 100,000 to 300,000 won range per don for years.

It surpassed 400,000 won in March 2024, 600,000 won in March 2025 and 800,000 won last October — all before reaching the latest milestone.

Based on Tuesday's gold price, the 162 kilograms of pure gold used in the statue is now valued at approximately 38.67 billion won.

Previously displayed on a temporary basis at the Golden Bat Exhibition Hall near the Hampyeong Expo Park due to security concerns, the county has recently upgraded the space and converted the display into a permanent exhibition in response to growing public interest.

“The Golden Bat statue is not merely a sculpture made of gold and silver but a symbolic asset that captures Hampyeong’s ecological values,” a county official said. “Given current gold prices, creating another statue is not something we are considering.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]