Did UNDP allow hard currency to flow to the DPRK government?
UNDPs presence in DPRK, indeed the presence of any outside entity (UN agency, national diplomatic mission, individual tourist visitor, etc.) entails a flow of hard currency. This is because projects must be funded, gasoline and other supplies must be purchased, salaries must be paid, travel must be arranged to visit projects, and so on. These are basic economic principles, well understood by the Executive Board that has mandated UNDP to work in DPRK. The flow can be directly in internationally convertible currency (e.g. Euros) or the internationally convertible currency can be first exchanged for Korean Won, with accounts then settled directly in the local currency. Either way, however, a similar amount of hard currency will flow into the country.
