Hundreds of local and foreign runners participate in the 31st edition of the country’s premier international sporting event.
North Korea held its 31st Pyongyang International Marathon on Sunday, marking the highly anticipated return of its flagship athletic event after a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The marathon brought together hundreds of participants, including approximately 200 foreigners, offering a rare glimpse of the reclusive capital to outsiders.
The race, officially known as the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, is widely regarded as North Korea’s most prominent international sports event. It also serves as one of several celebratory occasions leading up to the country’s most important political holiday: the April 15th birthday of national founder Kim Il Sung, who remains a central figure in North Korea’s state ideology and public life.
The event’s revival is a notable development for a country that has remained largely isolated since early 2020, when it sealed its borders at the onset of the pandemic. Sunday’s marathon therefore represented not just a return to international sports for North Korea, but also a cautious step toward renewed engagement with the outside world — albeit on its own terms.
Foreign Participation Under Tight Control
According to North Korean state media outlet KCNA, athletes from several countries, including China, Romania, Morocco, and Ethiopia, flew into Pyongyang to take part in the race. The foreign contingent was brought in through Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based travel agency that operates under official sanction as a partner of the marathon.
While the inclusion of international runners signals some softening of Pyongyang’s rigid pandemic-era restrictions, participation was tightly managed. The foreign athletes, many of them amateur marathon enthusiasts rather than professional runners, were subject to strict controls before and during their visit. The group traveled together under guided tours and adhered to a carefully arranged itinerary.
For those able to enter the country, the experience offered a rare opportunity to run freely through the streets of Pyongyang — a city that is usually off-limits to foreign foot traffic without government escorts. The marathon route featured a loop through some of the city’s most iconic areas, with spectators lining the streets to cheer on the runners in a highly choreographed display of civic enthusiasm.
“It’s one of the few moments where foreign visitors are allowed to interact — even briefly — with local crowds,” said Simon Cockerell, general manager of Koryo Tours, speaking to international media ahead of the race. “That makes it special, not just as a sporting event, but also as a form of cultural exchange.”
Home Advantage for North Korean Runners
Despite the international presence, the host nation dominated the competition. In the men’s race, North Korean runner Pak Gum Dong took first place, completing the marathon in an impressive time of 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 11 seconds. In the women’s division, Jon Su Gyong secured the top spot with a finishing time of 2 hours, 25 minutes, and 50 seconds.
Both athletes were cheered on by local supporters, many of whom waved flags and banners along the route. State television later broadcast highlights of the race, showcasing the country’s athletic prowess and the festive atmosphere.
North Korean athletes have long performed strongly in the marathon, partly due to the government’s promotion of sports as a key component of national pride and physical discipline. However, the absence of elite international competitors — likely due to travel and visa complications — may have contributed to the home team’s clean sweep this year.
Symbolism and National Identity
The Pyongyang International Marathon has historically held significance beyond the finish line. Timed each year around Kim Il Sung’s birthday — known as the Day of the Sun — the race is part of a broader calendar of commemorative activities that includes parades, cultural performances, and political exhibitions.
Holding the marathon once again after a pandemic-imposed pause served both symbolic and strategic purposes for North Korea. Domestically, it projected a return to normalcy and underscored the government’s claim that it has successfully protected its population from the worst of the global health crisis. Internationally, it allowed Pyongyang to cautiously reassert itself on the global stage, without relinquishing control over its internal narrative.
“The regime is selectively reopening in ways that reinforce its message of strength, unity, and self-reliance,” said an expert on North Korean affairs at a Seoul-based think tank. “The marathon fits neatly into that messaging. It shows the world a smiling, orderly Pyongyang — and allows foreign guests to see just enough to carry that image back with them.”
A Glimpse, Not a Gateway
Despite the successful staging of the event, North Korea’s broader border policies remain extremely restrictive. There are no indications that the country plans to fully reopen to tourism or international business in the near future. Regular travel visas remain suspended, and very few diplomatic or commercial flights operate in and out of Pyongyang.
Foreigners who participated in the race did so under exceptional circumstances, and their access to the city — as in the past — was tightly supervised. Independent exploration was not permitted, and their stay was limited to marathon-related activities and sanctioned sightseeing.
Still, for a country that has been all but sealed off for years, even a carefully curated event like this represents a shift. Observers say it may indicate Pyongyang’s willingness to explore gradual reopening, particularly around events that bolster national prestige.
Looking Ahead
Whether the marathon will pave the way for broader engagement remains uncertain. But its successful execution shows that North Korea, while still heavily guarded and ideologically isolated, is not entirely closed to the outside world.
For now, the Pyongyang International Marathon stands as one of the few bridges between North Korea and the international community — a fleeting yet powerful image of motion, resilience, and tightly controlled openness.
