Sources inside North Korea have revealed that foreign currency usage is increasing in the country, Radio Free Asia reports.

 

According to the report, citizens are increasingly turning to the yuan and dollar for their everyday purchases. It has been said that the reason for using foreign currency was that the won is heavily fluctuating due to the recent sanctions.

 

Food prices are even being quoted in foreign currency. One source from Yanggang Province reported that 1kg of rice cost 5 yuan. The source was asked by Radio Free Asia to quote a price in won, but struggled to do so accurately because of the fluctuations of the won. He added that it was becoming rarer for people in the northern provinces to use the won for purchasing items.

 

The reliance on foreign currency is also being felt in the capital. One source in Pyongyang quoted food prices in dollars. Currently, one kilo of rice is trading for around $1.

 

Source: Radio Free Asia