On Sunday, Pyongyang hosted its first international marathon in approximately six years. The event resumed following a break caused by the pandemic, attracting applications from amateur athletes across roughly 45 nations, as reported by an official travel agency based in Beijing.
Athletes from nations including Britain, Germany, Canada, China, and Iran signed up for the marathon, providing global participants with a unique view of downtown Pyongyang. Numerous residents of Pyongyang supported them throughout the city’s thoroughfares and within Kim Il Sung Stadium.
Since 2014, the athletic competition has welcomed novice participants and offered events including a complete 42.195-kilometer marathon, a half marathon, as well as races of 10 kilometers and 5 kilometers, states Koryo Tours.
The marathon used to take place every year until North Korea closed its borders at the beginning of 2020 because of the pandemic. This time around, runners participated close to a newly built general hospital in the city center.
Since early 2024, North Korea has welcomed a limited number of Russian tourist groups, though it hasn’t completely reopened for global visitors yet.
