SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - North Korea will resume its international marathon competition this April, marking the first time the event will be held since its suspension in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The marathon, which features both professional and amateur runners, offers distances of 5 kilometers, 10 kilometers, a half marathon, and a full marathon (42.195 kilometers).
The course winds through some of Pyongyang’s most iconic landmarks, including Kim Il Sung Square, the Pyongyang Grand Theatre, and the Mangyongdae Children's Palace.
First held in 1981 to celebrate the April 15 birthday of Kim Il-sung, the late North Korea founder, the event has been on hiatus since 2020. The announcement of its revival signals the possibility of North Korea reopening its borders to international participants after years of strict isolation.
North Korea plans to extend invitations to professional athletes in the coming weeks, with each country allowed to send one male and one female runner. Invited athletes will have their round-trip airfare, accommodations, meals, and transportation fully funded by the North Korean government, with visas arranged through official representatives.
The marathon’s revival is widely seen as part of North Korea’s broader push to reinvigorate its tourism sector and attract much-needed foreign currency. While North Korea announced in September 2023 that it would permit some foreign visitors, entry remains tightly restricted to specific groups, including diplomats and a limited number of Russian tourists.
The event’s return offers a rare opportunity for international engagement with the isolated nation, though it remains to be seen how many will participate.
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