Real coins·2 March 2026·4 min read
The won — currency of the two Koreas
The same name, two different states: the won shows how a currency can tell the story of a divided nation.
The won is the currency used, in different versions, by both South Korea and North Korea. The name comes from a word meaning "round", like the yen and yuan.
One currency, two worlds
The same name hides two completely different economies. The South Korean won is a modern, strong currency; the North Korean one, isolated. The same label, totally different values — because money is worth as much as the economy behind it.
