North Korean Currency FAQs

What currency does North Korea Use?
North Korean Won to USD
Can I Use North Korean Currency?
What Currency Can I Use in North Korea?
Where Can I get North Korean Won?
Taking North Korean Won Outside North Korea

What Currency Does North Korea Use? 

North Korea uses the KPW or Korean People's Won. (KPW, 원)

North Korean Money and How to Get your own North Korean Won Blog

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North Korean Won to USD

The official exchange rate of North Korean Won to USD is;

1 USD to KPW = 900.074 North Korean Won

(XE Currency Converter, February 2020)

This exchange rate can, however, vary in North Korea depending on where you shop in North Korea and where you exchange your money. 

In the Kwangbok Supermarket, exchange rates can show around 8000 North Korean Won to USD. 

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Can I Use North Korean Currency?

Yes. And no. 

Foreigners can use North Korean currency in a few specific places in North Korea, including the Kwangbok Supermarket and the North Korean Market in Rason. 

Otherwise, it is not strictly possible to use North Korean currency throughout North Korea as a foreigner. 

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What Currency Should I Use in North Korea? 

So if you're not using North Korean currency in North Korea, what are you going to use? 

Good question! 

Instead of North Korean Won, you can use any of the following; 

Renminbi (CNY)

US Dollars (USD)

Euro (EUR)

Find out more information here. 

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Where Can I Get North Korean Won?

If you do find yourself at the market in Rason or the Kwangbok Supermarket, you'll need to get your own North Korean currency to use. 

At the Kwangbok supermarket, you will find an exchange booth that will exchange foreign currencies, including EUR, CNY, USD, and JPY. 

In Rason, you can pay a visit to the Golden Triangle Bank where you can get a bank card and get North Korean money out here. 

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Taking North Korean Won Outside North Korea

It is not strictly allowed to take North Korean Won outside of North Korea as a souvenir. North Korean Won is a closed currency.

Therefore, any that you do get your hands on you should make sure to spend.

You can, however, purchase special sets of North Korean money at many shops and hotels inside North Korea. 

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