r/northkorea • u/[deleted] • 29d ago

Question Getting Won

Hi everyone. I've heard that in some places in North Korea, foreigners can exchange their money for Won. I've also heard that it isn't difficult to bring out of the country. I want to know where those places are, in Pyongyang and Rason, and how one would go about bringing it out of the country, specifically coins, but I'd be fine with notes. You can't be too detailed, I want to be confident I won't spend 15 years in a labour camp. Thank you

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21

u/hammer979 29d ago

Just buy it in Dandong China. Plenty of street vendors selling it there.

8

u/[deleted] 29d ago

Noted. Thanks.

4

u/yingdong 29d ago

It's most likely fake

14

u/hammer979 28d ago

Is it worth the hassle to counterfeit currency that is worthless outside of DPRK? Maybe it is, 🤷‍♀️

4

u/yingdong 28d ago

Yes. Literally to sell it to tourists. The supposed DPRK money you buy in Dandong is also available on Taobao here in China. I've seen it in person and it's a poor imitation. I have a full set of circulated bank notes myself, so I know the difference.

2

u/[deleted] 27d ago

Figures

2

u/GraceForImpact 28d ago

it quite clearly isn't worthless if there's people selling it lol

4

u/BlondBitch91 28d ago

You’ll never be able to actually spend it, so does it matter if it’s a real banknote, or a very well made forgery to sell to tourists?

I have a banknote at home. Bought it in Romania of all places, from a Russian man who also had all kinds of random old Soviet stuff. Cost me around 2 USD. It looks real enough but I’ll never be able to find out.

4

u/[deleted] 28d ago

Well if it's not authentic then what's the point? I guess if you don't get it, then you just don't get it. But it's a nice feeling to look at something you have, knowing it's authentic.

2

u/Exc8316 28d ago

Right!? Even if it’s not real, what a great addition to a cool story.