PHOTO: Pyongyang at sunrise. (Courtesy of Thinkstock)
Foreign runners have been banned from participating in this year's Pyongyang Marathon as a result of North Korean authorities' fears about Ebola.
According to Chris Kitching of the Daily Mail, several travel agencies that operate tours to the North Korean capital have confirmed the ban, which applies to both professional and amateur marathoners.
"We were told that this is due to the ongoing precautions that the country has put in place in relation to fears held there over the Ebola virus," Beijing-based Koryo Tours said in a statement. "It is still unclear when the borders will be reopened, but we were also advised not to cancel our March tours, and to expect an update on the border situation at the end of February."
So far, zero cases of Ebola have been reported in North Korea. But despite the seemingly overblown threat, North Korea has closed its borders to foreign tourists since October of last year and has even gone so far as to suggest that the U.S. engineered the disease to use as a biological weapon.
The marathon, which is scheduled for April 12, 2015, had attracted hundreds of foreign runners who had signed up prior to the ban. Koryo Tours co-founder Nick Bonner said that more than 400 runners had signed up with his agency alone.
Kitching writes that Young Pioneer Tours said on its website that it expects North Korea to reopen its borders "very soon" despite the latest ban.
The Pyongyang Marathon, known as the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, takes place in one of the world's most exotic settings and will continue as planned this year, but will feature only local runners.
The ban signals a step back for the annual tourist-attracting event as last year marked the first year that foreign runners were allowed to compete. However, they were placed under restrictions and monitored by officials over the duration.
This week's disheartening ban comes on the heels of North Korea cancelling the Arirang Mass Games. Another popular tourist event in the Asian country, the Games celebrate gymnastic and artistic performances and feature thousands of participants performing a handful of choreographed routines.
North Korea has yet to give a reason for the decision.
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