North Korea's plan to limit wealth through a currency exchange has caused nothing but problems. Early on, it led to riots (and fatalities), and later the government eased the upper limit on wealth that could be held. The situation has become so difficult that the regime has even issued an apology. North Korean premier Kim Jong-il, according to a South Korean activist group, has come out and said the country is sorry.

"During a meeting of senior members of the Pyongyang municipal people's committee a few days ago, Kim Yong-il apologized for confusion and instability in the daily lives of people caused by wrongly fixed prices at state-run shops from the time of the currency reform to early this year," said the Good Friends newsletter.

The timing couldn't have been worse. Just as a U.S. envoy arrived in North Korea to meet with the reclusive regime's officials, protests and violence are reported to have erupted. The country is reacting to a new currency issue that is being used to seize most of the citizens' money and savings.

On November 30, 2009, the regime announced that it would issue new currency and cap the amount that could be exchanged at the equivalent of $40. This effectively rendered the money held privately worthless.