North Korea Reopens to Western Tourists with Pyongyang Marathon Package

North Korea Reopens to Western Tourists with Pyongyang Marathon Package

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea has begun welcoming Western group tourists, and a newly introduced travel package combining participation in a sports event with sightseeing in Pyongyang is drawing attention.

Koryo Tours, a China-based travel agency specializing in North Korean tourism, announced on its website that it accepts applications until March 14 for amateur participants in the 31st Pyongyang International Marathon, set to take place on April 6.

“This Pyongyang Marathon tour offers the opportunity to take part in the 2025 event while exploring various sites in the North Korean capital,” the agency advertised.

The company is offering two six-day, five-night tour packages, with departures on April 3 and April 5, respectively. Reservations are currently open on its website.

Itinerary Details

According to the planned schedule, participants will gather in Beijing one day before the tour for a pre-departure briefing. They will then fly from Beijing Capital International Airport to Pyongyang Sunan International Airport the following day.

On April 5, all participants will inspect key marathon locations, including Kim Il Sung Square, before competing in the marathon on April 6.

Aside from the race, the itinerary includes visits to Munsu Water Park, the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, Mansudae Fountain Park, Okryu Restaurant, Kim Il Sung Square, and the Juche Tower, among other landmarks in Pyongyang.

Additionally, tourists will have the chance to explore Hwasong Street and Kangdong Greenhouse Farm, newly constructed attractions that have never been open to foreign visitors. Both locations are considered major projects personally overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as evidenced by his attendance at their completion ceremonies.

Tour Costs and Requirements

The tour package is priced at €2,195 (approximately $2,323) per person. However, additional fees for a North Korean visa and marathon entry must be paid separately—at the North Korean embassy in Beijing for the visa and upon arrival in Pyongyang for marathon participation.

Pyongyang’s First International Sports Event in Six Years

In January, North Korea’s Ministry of Sports published the official Pyongyang International Marathon registration guidelines on its website. If held as scheduled, this would mark Pyongyang’s first international sports event in six years.

The Pyongyang International Marathon, originally launched in 1981 to commemorate the birthday of North Korea’s founding leader Kim Il Sung (April 15), was last held in 2019, before being suspended due to the pandemic.

Will North Korea Fully Reopen to Foreign Tourists?

Observers are closely watching whether Pyongyang will continue allowing foreign group tours beyond this event. While North Korea has long used tourism as a propaganda tool, it also sees the industry as a source of foreign currency, especially since tourism is not subject to UN sanctions.

Since reopening its borders to foreign visitors in September 2023, North Korea had until recently only allowed limited group tours from Russia. However, in late February, the regime made a notable shift by welcoming Western tourists to the Rason Special Economic Zone.

With the Pyongyang Marathon Tour now on offer, speculation is mounting that North Korea may be gradually easing restrictions on foreign tourism after years of isolation.

By Mooyoung Lee    [lee.mooyoung@koreadaily.com]