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Tickets for North Korea's 2026 marathon already sold out, says tour agency

Published: 09 Dec. 2025, 15:46

This image related to the 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon is captured from Koryo Tours' social media account on Dec. 9. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Tickets for North Korea's 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon, set for April 5 in the country's capital, have sold out just a few hours after sales opened, a Beijing-based tour agency said Tuesday.

Koryo Tours, which specializes in travel to North Korea, broke the news on its social media account, saying, “After less than 5 hours the Pyongyang Marathon trips sold out completely, 500 spots on the trips are now all taken.”

The agency said it is working to open additional spots for the trip and urged readers to join a waiting list.

The tour agency's website earlier announced that next year's Pyongyang International Marathon will take place on April 5, with departures for the trip available from Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang.

The event offers four courses, from the full 42.2-kilometer (26.2-mile) run to the half marathon, 10 km and 5 km races, and is also open to runners with disabilities, including wheelchair users and those with visual impairments.

Holders of South Korean, U.S., Malaysian or Japanese passports, as well as members of the press, are prohibited, it said.

The international event, previously named the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, was inaugurated in 1981 to commemorate the April 15 birthday of late national founder Kim Il Sung.

Beginning in 2020, it was suspended for five consecutive years due to the Covid-19 pandemic before being resumed last year as a channel for the country to earn foreign currency.

Yonhap