The race had been set for April 5 and would have marked the second year since Pyongyang resumed the event after the pandemic
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenSCMP’s Asia deskPublished: 7:18pm, 9 Mar 2026North Korea had abruptly cancelled the 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon less than a month before the race, its international partner said on Monday, raising fresh questions about the country’s cautious approach to reopening to foreign visitors.Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which specialises in tours to the country, said it had received notice of the cancellation from the North Korean race organiser.
“This decision was communicated to us by the DPR Korea Athletics Association and has been confirmed as final,” it said on its website.
It also posted the official message confirming the cancellation.
“This [notice] officially informs you that we will cancel the 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon this year due to some reasons,” the statement read.
“Thank all the elite marathoners and amateur runners of the world who are interested in Pyongyang International Marathon in advance.”
