© Koryo Group
North Korea hosts its first international marathon since 2019: a timeless experience
We all have a bucket list of marathons we dream of running one day. New York, Tokyo, Boston, London, Mont Blanc… But there’s a far more improbable entry: the Pyongyang Marathon in North Korea. On Sunday, April 6, 2025, this option became a reality again. For the first time in six years, foreign runners were given the right, and indeed the privilege, to run along the broad avenues of the North Korean capital during the Pyongyang International Marathon.
| A departure from the ordinary
The race kicks off in the iconic Kim Il Sung Stadium, in front of stands filled with thousands of selected spectators. There’s a strange atmosphere, a mix of solemnity and fervor akin to the biggest soccer stadiums, where everything is clearly controlled but the crowd still plays along. Faces are focused and serious, yet applause is present. Foreign runners are observed with curiosity, sometimes warmth. And when the starting gun fires, an almost religious silence accompanies the first strides.
Those who have run in festive cities, where music blares from every corner, might find this unsettling. Here, it’s a far cry from the New York Marathon; the sound is muted, the streets quiet, and cheers sparse. The pavement is pristine, the avenues wide and almost empty. In the distance, giant monuments stand watch over the city like stone sentinels.
| More than just a race, it’s an immersion into another world
This marathon is not limited to its 42.195 km. For foreign participants, the adventure begins long before the starting line. Registration must be done through Koryo Tours, a specialized agency offering a six-day package that includes the race, accommodation, tours, and transportation… always in a group, always supervised. It’s impossible to explore Pyongyang alone or to decide on your itinerary or lunch breaks. Everything is planned, mapped out. But that’s the price to pay for this experience.
And what an experience it is. Those who’ve attended speak of a profound shift. Perhaps not a shock, but a deep change. A dive into another world, frozen in time, where every gesture, every glance seems to hold meaning. You’re running in a capital where daily life is inaccessible to visitors, where the scene-setting is as significant as the effort itself.
| Running for history
The date of the marathon is no coincidence. It is organized each year (at least when the borders are open) in homage to Kim Il Sung, the founder of the North Korean regime, born in 1912. The event has a significance far beyond a simple sports rendezvous. It’s a tribute, a showcase, a demonstration of order and loyalty. A spectacle of discipline where everything is meticulously organized.
For foreign runners, it’s above all a rare opportunity and a unique experience. In 2019, nearly 950 participated. This year, there are fewer, but perhaps even more motivated. After six years of a pause imposed by the pandemic and the complete closure of the country, the reopening of the race signifies a slight signal of openness.
| What runners take away
Those who return speak of a mix of emotion, fascination, and sometimes discomfort. Everything is framed, observed. Each photo taken is more a memory than a spontaneous shot. But this constant oversight doesn’t prevent moments of truth. Shared glances, fleeting smiles, children on the roadside clapping timidly… These small things make you feel, despite everything, a human connection.
Then there’s the effort, of course. Because we’re talking about a real marathon. The course is demanding, the weather unpredictable, and the ambient silence forces you to find motivation elsewhere. Yet, it becomes almost meditative. You run for yourself, for the unique sensation of being both inside and outside, actor and witness.
| A marathon like no other… and without Strava
Running in Pyongyang isn’t about chasing a personal best. It’s not about ticking a Strava box or lighting up your Instagram feed. If you can connect at all. Indeed, internet access is highly restricted and reserved for top officials or specific students. As for Strava? The American app is quite firm on the matter. It systematically bans any users uploading runs completed in North Korea, for security reasons in accordance with the US government. So, don’t count on kudos from friends. This marathon is something else. It’s about accepting to be disoriented, stepping outside the usual globetrotting runner’s frame, trading freedom for experience. It’s rare, guided, unique. But unforgettable.
Results of Pyongyang 2025 races
- Men’s Marathon: PAK Kum Dong (North Korea) –2:12:08
- Women’s Marathon: JON Su Gyong (North Korea) –2:25:48
- Half Marathon: Ryang Choe Guk (North Korea) –1:12:19
- Women’s Half Marathon: Kan Ryon Hui (North Korea) – 1:16:32
- 10 km Men: Kim Tae Guk (North Korea) – 35:11
- 10 km Women: Jon Phyong A (North Korea) –38:03
For those who donned their running shoes in Pyongyang, it was far more than a race. It was a moment suspended, a pause between two worlds. And if you’re someone who runs to discover, to feel, to be challenged… then yes, perhaps one day you too will start from Kim Il Sung Stadium.
