News recently leaked out of North Korea that authorities had printed a new currency for use in lieu of foreign banknotes at the country’s shops.

As it turned out, this was not the case. What had actually happened was monetary authorities had printed new currency coupons, money in all but name, to make up for a shortfall in the currency supply.

But this raised the question: Why is North Korea suffering from a cash crunch? And what effect might these new cash coupons be having?

NK Pro analysis points to the following