On April 6, 2025, the Pyongyang Marathon 2025 made a quiet but notable comeback. The event had been on pause since 2020 due to the pandemic. Officially named the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, it was suspended during North Korea’s full border closure.
As a result, this year’s marathon marked a rare instance of international engagement in a nation that remains largely closed to the outside world.
The race began and ended at Kim Il Sung Stadium. Along the way, runners passed key landmarks such as the Arch of Triumph and the banks of the Taedong River.
Participants had four race options: a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, or full marathon. All races took place at the same time on a course recognized by both World Athletics and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS).
According to a press release from Koryo Tours, North Korea’s Pak Kum-dong won the men’s marathon with a time of 2:12:08. In the women’s race, Jon Su-gyong finished first and set a new course record of 2:25:48.
Around 650 foreign runners took part this year, arriving through a handful of licensed travel agencies. Participants came from countries including China, Russia, Ethiopia, and Romania. Some were amateur athletes running for the experience; others were seasoned marathoners looking to tick off one of the most unique races in the world. Spectators were more limited than in previous years, but a few tourists also came along to watch, mostly as part of guided tour packages.
From a local race to an international curiosity
The Pyongyang Marathon was first established in 1981 as a domestic sporting event held in conjunction with the annual celebrations for the birthday of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea and grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un. Born on April 15, 1912, Kim Il Sung is commemorated each year, and the marathon became part of those national festivities.
Initially, the event was open only to elite North Korean athletes. For more than two decades, it remained a closed competition.
That changed in 2014, when foreign amateur runners were allowed to join for the first time. Since then, the marathon has steadily grown.
Pyongyang marathon global reach
Today, it welcomes both local and international professionals, amateur runners of all levels, and even athletes with disabilities. Participants now come from dozens of countries, with strong representation from China—North Korea’s longtime ally, with which it has long-running economic and security ties, including a mutual defense treaty—as well as from Western nations intrigued by the rare opportunity to visit the isolated country.
The race has gained international recognition over the years. At times, it has held Bronze Label status from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
Beyond the competition, it has become popular among adventurous travelers. Running through the streets of Pyongyang offers an experience few marathons can match.
The marathon has not always run smoothly. In 2015, North Korea banned foreign runners due to Ebola fears, even though the virus had not reached Asia. Later that year, the ban was lifted and the event resumed.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the longest pause in its history. Starting in 2020, the country closed its borders entirely. The marathon was canceled for five consecutive years — until its return in 2025.
A Marathon Like No Other
What makes the Pyongyang Marathon different isn’t just the race itself, but the context around it. Foreign runners participate under close supervision. Their routes are planned, their accommodations are assigned, and their interactions are limited. Non-Korean participants are required to enter the country as part of an organized tour group. This year, the race’s official travel partner was Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based, British-run company, which has been operating tours in the DPRK since 1993.
But even within those boundaries, the event offers a rare window into life in North Korea. The marathon continues to draw attention from a niche group of runners looking for a challenge off the beaten path — and perhaps, a chance to see behind one of the world’s most closed borders, if only briefly.
