Hundreds of runners who spent years waiting for a chance to race through the streets of Pyongyang will not be making that trip. North Korea has abruptly cancelled the 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon, offering only a vague letter citing “some reasons” as justification.
Koryo Tours, a British-owned agency based in Beijing and the official international partner of the event, broke the news on Monday after receiving formal notice from North Korea’s Athletics Association. The marathon had been scheduled for April 5.
A Race Like No Other
The Pyongyang International Marathon is unlike any race on the global calendar. It is the only international marathon held in North Korea — a country that tightly restricts foreign access — and one of the few events that allows outsiders a rare, if tightly controlled, glimpse inside the hermit kingdom.
First held in 1981, the race takes place each April to mark the birth of Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s founding leader and grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un. The route passes through central Pyongyang, running past landmarks including the towering Ryugyong Hotel.
The event is open to both amateur and elite runners and offers distances ranging from a 5K to a full marathon — making it one of the most unusual bucket list marathons on the planet.
500 Spots Gone in Five Hours
Demand for this year’s race was extraordinary. According to Koryo Tours, all 500 available spots sold out in less than five hours when registration opened in December. Packages started at £1,894 (roughly $2,529) for a 2.5-night stay in Pyongyang, with departures offered from Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenyang.
For many of those runners, it was the culmination of years of planning. The marathon had only just returned in 2025 after being suspended for five consecutive years during the Covid pandemic, when North Korea closed its borders entirely.
Simon Cockerell, general manager of Koryo Tours, was candid to the Independent about the frustration felt by those affected.
“They were informed many times that uncertainty is inherent in planning any North Korea trip at the present time. So, it is unwelcome news, but news that people were prepared for in at least some way.”
He described the cancellation as “a big blow without a doubt, and a pity for all involved.”
No Answers, and Likely No Alternatives
The letter received by Koryo Tours, attributed to North Korea’s athletics association general secretary, thanked runners from around the world for their interest but gave no further detail on why the race was pulled.
Cockerell says that opacity is simply part of dealing with North Korea.
“Sadly, the way things work there is that real information can be elusive and often never really available, so we have to accept that we will probably never know what the true reason or reasons may be.”
Koryo Tours believes the decision was made “at a level above the organisers of the event itself” and does not expect it to be reversed or rescheduled. With no other international marathon in the country, runners have no fallback option.
“There is only one marathon in the DPRK, so when it is cancelled there are no alternatives,” Cockerell said.
For runners who were looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime experience, it may be worth exploring some of the world’s most beautiful marathons or most challenging races as an alternative adventure in the meantime.
