North Korea has been organizing the first Pyongyang marathon for six years

North Korea has been organizing the first Pyongyang marathon for six years

On Sunday there was in North Korea The first Pyongyang International Marathon for six years. The sealed land greeted foreign runners after the borders were largely closed during the pandemic.

arrival of the athletes

athletes from China, Romania and other countries traveled to North Korea to take part in this event, the state media KCNA and the Rodong Sinmun reported on Sunday. A total of around 200 travelers arrived in Pyongyang on Friday and Saturday. Foreign runners trained in a hotel in the North Korean capital for the Sunday run, according to Simon Cockerell, General Manager of Koryo Tours in Beijing, who shared pictures of the streets and a recreation area in Pyongyang on Instagram.

Koryo Tours: Official partner of the marathon

Koryo Tours acts as an official partner of the Pyongyang Marathons and organizes the registration process for international visitors. The isolated country had closed its borders at the beginning of pandemic in 2020, but gradually began to loosen the restrictions in 2023. So far, some Russian tourist groups have been allowed to enter, with the capital still being closed for regular tourism.

Details on the marathon distance and the route

The marathon leads through the center of Pyongyang and passes several sights in the city. The runners of around 50,000 locals are cheered on to the surrounding area on the route before going back to the stadium. According to Koryo Tours, the Pyongyang International Marathon is one of the events that celebrates the birthday of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea and grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong Un on April 15th.