50 Won Workers' Party of Korea; English text, black

North Korea's 2000 series was the first major redesign since the 1978 issue, produced in the lead-up to the fiftieth anniversary commemorations of the DPRK's founding. The English text appearing on this note — unusual for domestic North Korean currency — reflects a brief period of cautious engagement with foreign visitors and joint-venture operations, particularly the Kaesong Industrial Complex discussions that were then gaining traction under Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy.

The Workers' Party of Korea series circulated alongside the older won until the disastrous 2009 redenomination, which wiped out household savings and triggered rare public protests. Notes from this series became worthless at a fixed exchange cap of 100,000 old won per family.