On Thursday, foreign amateur athletes departed from Beijing to participate in the inaugural Pyongyang Marathon in North Korea after a hiatus of six years, according to an official travel agency.
The marathon is included in the festivities commemorating the birth of North Korea’s founding leader, Kim Il Sung, who was born in 1912. It stands as the biggest international sports event held within the isolated nation.
The event is set for Sunday, providing a unique chance to race through the streets of this normally highly regulated city.
The most recent edition of the Pyongyang Marathon took place in 2019 before being halted due to the pandemic. This led North Korea, a nuclear-weapon-state, to close its borders as part of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
As North Korea cautiously reopened, foreign attendees concluded their six-day trip arranged by Koryo Tours as they left Beijing, the Chinese capital.
The travel agency focuses on journeys to North Korea and bills itself as the sole travel collaborator for the marathon.
An agency representative stated that participants left earlier today.
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A clip shared on Air Koryo’s Instagram page showed several non-residents getting onboard a commercial flight operated by the airline, traveling from Beijing to Pyongyang.
“As it offers a chance to engage with local residents, the Pyongyang Marathon presents an exceptionally distinctive experience,” stated the Beijing-based company on their website.
A completely unparalleled experience.
The marathon is featured on the Global Governing Body World Athletics’ website.
In 2019, approximately 950 people from the West participated in the event, an increase from around 450 participants noted the prior year.
Earlier this year, around 200 international athletes were anticipated to participate alongside over 200 North Korean participants, according to Simon Cockerell, the general manager at Koryo Tours, who spoke recently with an Australian media outlet.
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“North Korea is a intriguing and multifaceted destination that captivates numerous individuals. Although it might not be appealing to all, it undoubtedly attracts those who are eager to explore and understand the experience of traveling through such a nation and witnessing its uniqueness firsthand,” he stated.