North Korea holds first Pyongyang International Marathon in six years

North Korea has staged the Pyongyang International Marathon for the first time in six years, welcoming some 200 foreign runners to pound the streets of the reclusive country’s capital.

The marathon, which was launched in 1981, took place annually in April to celebrate the birth of its founding leader Kim Il Sung.

Before Sunday’s marathon, the race was last held in 2019, wherein 950 foreigners participated. North Korea sealed itself the following year, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

North Korea has been slow to reopen since, allowing only Russian tourists into its capital since last year.

Runners have had to enter the country as part of an organised tour group, as was the case before the pandemic.

Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based travel agency listed as an “exclusive partner” on the event website, offers six-day marathon tours at 2,195 euros ($2,406) including flights to and from Beijing.

“The Pyongyang Marathon is an extremely unique experience as it provides an opportunity to interact with locals,” the agency wrote on its website.

Yesterday’s marathon route took participants past landmarks across the city, including the Kim Il Sung stadium, the Arch of Triumph built to commemorate Kim Il Sung’s role in resisting Japanese rule, and the Mirae Future Scientists’ Street said to be a residential district for scientists and engineers.

Pictures online show the stadium – where runners start and finish their race – filled with spectators, many of them cheering and waving gold-coloured paper flags.

Pak Kum Dong, a North Korean runner, told Reuters news agency: “The eyes of our people on me helped me to bear the difficulties whenever I feel tired.”

There is no publicly available information on race results.

North Korea had only statred to scale back Covid-19 restrictions in the middle of 2023.

In Feburary, it allowed some Western tourists into the remote, eastern city Rason, but suspended those tours just weeks after.