North Korea has carried the international marathon of Pyongyang since the border has been closed during the sheikh’s epidemic

North Korea hosted the first international marathon race in Pyongyang in six years on Sunday, where it welcomed the international contestants in the isolated authoritarian nation that closed its borders to all strangers in 2020 when it struck the Covid-19s.

The thirty -first international marathon of Pyongyang directed more than 500 participants, including more than 200 international runners, who came from countries, including north koreaJeeran and allies China And Russia.

Open to both professionals and amateurs, the event was distinguished by the marathon and a half of the marathon, along with races of 10 km and 5 kilometers, according to Information Provided by the British travel agency Koryo Tours, which is based in China and organizes flights to North Korea for foreign travelers.

The only way for foreign visitors to reach North Korea to participate in the race is to buy a ticket for approximately $ 2,500 to join one of the Koryo Tours packages to the so -called hermit kingdom. Those who participated in this year’s race from abroad had to reach Beijing for the trip to Pyongyang. The round package was focused for six days by Corio around the marathon.

The race road started at the Kim II Sung Stadium in the North Korean capital, where more than 50,000 people were collected to ventilate the contestants. According to the marathon official WebsiteThe circular road was taken in “many famous buildings, antiquities and streets” in Pyongyang before “going out to the countryside outside the urban center” and then retreating.

North Korea’s runner was the first to cross the finish line at the main event, according to government television in the country.

The contestants from the United States, South Korea and Malaysia were It was reported to be excluded From the registration of this year’s event due to the constant diplomatic tension between those countries and North Korea.

The Russian embassy in North Korea He said In a post on the social media in which five Russian citizens participated in this event, as the embassy employees and their families came to ventilate them.

The United States and many of its close allies imposed a wide range of sanctions on North Korea – in addition to the multilateral sanctions adopted by the US Security Council – for Repeated weapons and nuclear tests. Recently, the United States has also made Pyongyang Ali Provide troops And another support for Russia, as it continues for a period of three years The war on neighboring Ukraine.

The US State Department has warned for years against traveling to North Korea, at the highest level on alert – “Do not travel” consultant – In its place “Because of the continued danger of arrest and … the decisive threat to the illegal detention.”