1 Chon Socialist visitor

North Korea issued a distinct series of aluminum coins in 1959 specifically for foreign visitors from socialist-allied nations — a separate currency track designed to control hard currency flows and prevent locals from accessing foreign goods. The "socialist visitor" designation meant these pieces circulated in a parallel economy, used exclusively in state-run shops stocked with goods unavailable to ordinary citizens.

KM#9 sees relatively few survivors in collectible condition, partly because foreign visitors had little incentive to keep low-denomination aluminum pieces of negligible intrinsic value.