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10 Won Socialist Visitor
| Issuer | Foreign Trade Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
|---|---|
| Year | 1988 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 10 Won (10 KPW) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in red on a light ground and dominated by a large central guilloche rosette enclosing the numeral "10" in bold white figures. A circular vignette to the left shows a globe overlaid with a stylised olive branch motif in blue, symbolising international exchange. Horizontal guilloche bands border the top and bottom edges, with the issuing bank name in Korean script at upper left, the denomination in Korean characters at lower left, and the year 1988 at the base of the central medallion. |
| Reverse lettering | 조선민주주의인민공화국 무역은행 10 십원 (Translation: Foreign Trade Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Ten Won) |
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| Comments |
North Korea maintained parallel currency systems for much of the late Cold War period, with separate notes issued specifically for foreign visitors from socialist countries — distinct from those given to capitalist-bloc tourists. This 10 Won note belongs to that socialist visitor series, introduced in 1988 as the regime sought to extract hard currency and goods from fraternal allies while keeping foreign spending strictly channeled through state-controlled shops.
The Foreign Trade Bank controlled the entire mechanism. Visitors exchanged their currencies at fixed official rates, received these segregated notes, and could spend them only at designated Hwanggumsan stores — off-limits to ordinary North Koreans.