North Korean Won KP History
North Korea currency is known as WON. The symbol of won is written as ₩. It is divided into 100chon. The Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is minting the won. The ISO 4217 code is KPW. The present value against US dollar is 140 KPW = 1 US$ as on November 3, 2008.


 In 1947, the won was issued as the currency of North Korea, replacing the Korean yen that was still in use. It was revalued at a rate of one hundred to one in 1959. Older coins were in the denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 50 chon and 1won, all made in Aluminium.

In 1988, the Bank of Trade introduced 2 distinctive series of foreign certificates. They consisted of 1 chon, 5 chon, 10 chon, 50 chon, ₩1, ₩5, ₩10, and ₩50. The 100, 1,000 and 5,000 won bills are issued exceptionally of the same basic design. It revealed exactly the matching subjects North Korea has in the past foreign exchange certificates in which the designs, color, and pattern, except the denomination. In October 2008, a new 10,000 Won note was introduced.

Currently coins of denominations ₩10, ₩50, ₩100 and currency notes of
₩1, ₩5, ₩10, ₩50, ₩100, ₩200, ₩500, ₩1000, ₩5000 are available.                                 

 
 
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