朝
鲜宣布50年来首次重估货币，并对可兑换新币的旧币数量作出严格限制，这一举措似乎意在没收民众通过政府不喜欢的市场活动所获得的大部分现金。
Bloomberg News
面值100朝鲜圆的钞票
朝鲜周一通过境外无法监测的有线广播系统宣布重估货币。朝鲜政府宣布发行新币，以1比100的比例兑换旧币──例如一张面值1,000朝鲜圆的旧纸币可兑换面值10朝鲜圆的新纸币──并宣布民众可以从周二到周六兑换货币。
中国官方新华社周二证实了朝鲜重估货币的消息，新华社在朝鲜首都平壤设有记者站。据新华社报导，朝鲜一位商店职员说，平壤的国营商店本周关闭，对商品进行重新定价。
这是朝鲜政府试图遏制非官方经济的最新也是最为彻底的举措，朝鲜政府认为近年来不断增长的非官方经济威胁到了领导人金正日、政府以及劳动党的统治。
朝鲜此举在该国以外不会造成什么经济影响，因为朝鲜圆不用于贸易，在任何国家都不能兑换，即便在朝鲜主要贸易伙伴和政治捐助者中国也是如此。
在中朝边境最为活跃的中国丹东市，商人们周二说，朝鲜贸易伙伴已经告诉他们货币重估一事，但他们并不知道详情。中国与朝鲜的边境贸易主要是以美元和欧元进行的，因此中国贸易商说，他们预计此事不会对贸易产生明显影响。
货币重估对朝鲜内部的经济影响难以评估，因为自上世纪六十年代以来，朝鲜一直没有公布有关经济或其银行体系规模的官方数据。
目前为止，朝鲜圆兑换美元的官方汇率是1美元兑换135朝鲜圆。但逃离朝鲜的人说，在最需要外币的朝鲜北部边境城市，一般的兑换汇率是1美元兑换2,000-3,000朝鲜圆左右。援助工作者和逃离朝鲜人士说，朝鲜普通人每天工资约为5,000朝鲜圆。
最初报导称，朝鲜政府只允许民众兑换不超过10万朝鲜圆的旧币。这可能会导致民众多年来通过市场活动获得并以朝鲜圆存款的资金被没收。而那些以外币存款的人似乎不会受到影响；尽管这并不是非法的，但朝鲜普通民众很难以外币存款。
据网络新闻社NKNet报导，平壤民众周一晚间施压要求劳动党官员允许兑换更多货币。据报导，受此影响，劳动党官员将现金和存款帐户的旧币兑换规模分别上调至15万朝鲜圆以及30万朝鲜圆。NKNet总部位于首尔，专门报导朝鲜的新闻内容。
朝鲜上次发行新货币是在1992年，但其货币自1959年起就没有重估过。
Evan Ramstad
North Korea revalued its currency for the first time in 50 years and strictly limited how much old money could be traded for new, moves that appear designed to confiscate much of the cash people earned in market activities the country's authoritarian government doesn't like.
The action triggered chaos, according to news outlets in South Korea that specialize in obtaining information from the North, as people rushed to banks and offices of the ruling Workers Party to get information, make exchanges or trade existing North Korean won for euros and U.S. dollars.
The revaluation was announced Monday over a cable-broadcast system that can't be monitored outside the country. North Korea issued new notes with an exchange value of 100 to 1 -- an old 1,000 won bill, for example, becoming a new 10-won note -- and said people could make exchanges from Tuesday to Saturday.
The revaluation was confirmed Tuesday by China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, which has an office in North Korean's capital, Pyongyang. Xinhua quoted one store clerk as saying that state-run stores in the city are closed this week so employees can reprice goods.
It is the latest and most sweeping step by the North Korean regime to rein in an unofficial economy that has grown in recent years and is perceived to threaten the grip of dictator Kim Jong Il, the government and the Workers Party.
The move will have little economic impact outside the country since the North Korea won isn't used for trade and isn't recognized for exchange by any country, even China, its chief trading partner and political benefactor.
Merchants in the Chinese city of Dandong, the most active border crossing with North Korea, said Tuesday that North Korean trading partners had told them about the revaluation but that they didn't know the details. Trade on the China-North Korean border is mainly conducted in U.S. dollars and euros, so the Chinese traders said they weren't expecting much impact on their business.
Inside North Korea, the economic impact of the revaluation is difficult to gauge since there has been no official data about the size of the North Korean economy or its banking system since the 1960s.
Until now, the won has traded officially at 135 per U.S. dollar. But defectors say that in North Korean border cities, where foreign currency is most necessary, the won has generally traded at about 2,000 to 3,000 per U.S. dollar. A typical North Korean earned about 5,000 won a day, aid workers and defectors say.
Initial reports indicated the government would allow only 100,000 old won to be exchanged for new. That would potentially wipe out the holdings of people who have earned and saved in won from market activities for years. Those who have saved in foreign currencies -- which, though not illegal, is difficult for ordinary North Koreans -- would appear unaffected.
According to an account by NKNet, a Seoul-based Web service focused on North Korea, people in Pyongyang on Monday night pressed party officials to allow more money to be exchanged. In response, according to the report, the officials lifted the exchangeable amount to 150,000 won in cash and 300,000 won in savings accounts.
North Korea last issued new currency in 1992 but hasn't revalued currency since 1959.
Evan Ramstad
The action triggered chaos, according to news outlets in South Korea that specialize in obtaining information from the North, as people rushed to banks and offices of the ruling Workers Party to get information, make exchanges or trade existing North Korean won for euros and U.S. dollars.
The revaluation was announced Monday over a cable-broadcast system that can't be monitored outside the country. North Korea issued new notes with an exchange value of 100 to 1 -- an old 1,000 won bill, for example, becoming a new 10-won note -- and said people could make exchanges from Tuesday to Saturday.
The revaluation was confirmed Tuesday by China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, which has an office in North Korean's capital, Pyongyang. Xinhua quoted one store clerk as saying that state-run stores in the city are closed this week so employees can reprice goods.
It is the latest and most sweeping step by the North Korean regime to rein in an unofficial economy that has grown in recent years and is perceived to threaten the grip of dictator Kim Jong Il, the government and the Workers Party.
The move will have little economic impact outside the country since the North Korea won isn't used for trade and isn't recognized for exchange by any country, even China, its chief trading partner and political benefactor.
Merchants in the Chinese city of Dandong, the most active border crossing with North Korea, said Tuesday that North Korean trading partners had told them about the revaluation but that they didn't know the details. Trade on the China-North Korean border is mainly conducted in U.S. dollars and euros, so the Chinese traders said they weren't expecting much impact on their business.
Inside North Korea, the economic impact of the revaluation is difficult to gauge since there has been no official data about the size of the North Korean economy or its banking system since the 1960s.
Until now, the won has traded officially at 135 per U.S. dollar. But defectors say that in North Korean border cities, where foreign currency is most necessary, the won has generally traded at about 2,000 to 3,000 per U.S. dollar. A typical North Korean earned about 5,000 won a day, aid workers and defectors say.
Initial reports indicated the government would allow only 100,000 old won to be exchanged for new. That would potentially wipe out the holdings of people who have earned and saved in won from market activities for years. Those who have saved in foreign currencies -- which, though not illegal, is difficult for ordinary North Koreans -- would appear unaffected.
According to an account by NKNet, a Seoul-based Web service focused on North Korea, people in Pyongyang on Monday night pressed party officials to allow more money to be exchanged. In response, according to the report, the officials lifted the exchangeable amount to 150,000 won in cash and 300,000 won in savings accounts.
North Korea last issued new currency in 1992 but hasn't revalued currency since 1959.
Evan Ramstad
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