[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sunhee] North Korea, which closed its borders to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), has reportedly canceled the Pyongyang International Marathon scheduled for April.
On the 21st, North Korea-specialized travel agencies such as 'Koryo Tour' announced on their websites, "We received notification from our partners in North Korea that the Pyongyang Marathon in April has been canceled," adding, "This is part of North Korea's border closure measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19."
Officially named the 'Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon,' the Pyongyang Marathon is a representative annual international sports event hosted by North Korea. It has been held since 1981 to commemorate the birthday of President Kim Il-sung (the Day of the Sun, April 15), and since 2014, North Korea has allowed foreign participants. This year, it was scheduled to take place on April 12.
The event is known overseas because foreigners also participate and run through the streets of Pyongyang, and tourism products linked to the marathon have been released. Last year, it was reported that nearly 1,000 Western participants took part.
However, considering that a large number of foreigners would enter the country if the event were held this year, it appears that the marathon was canceled to maintain COVID-19 quarantine controls.
Since the end of last month, North Korea has declared a national emergency quarantine system and is implementing stringent quarantine measures by closing all routes, including land, air, and sea transportation.
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