Which currency is used in North Korea?

The currency used in North Korea is the North Korean won.

The North Korean won was introduced in 1947, replacing the Korean yen that had circulated during the period of Japanese rule. It is issued by the Central Bank of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and is divided nominally into 100 chŏn.

North Korea has carried out several currency reforms, including redenominations in 1959, 1992, and 2009. The 2009 reform sharply limited the amount of old currency that people could exchange, causing major disruption and public criticism. Foreign currencies, especially the Chinese yuan and United States dollar, are also widely used in some commercial settings.

The North Korean won is not interchangeable with the South Korean won. Both names derive from the same Korean word meaning “round,” but the currencies are issued by separate states and operate under different monetary systems.