North Korea: Pyongyang Marathon Shut to Foreigners Over Ebola Fears
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Version 0 of 1. North Korea barred foreigners from one of its most popular tourist events — the annual Pyongyang marathon — because of concerns over the Ebola virus, travel agencies said Monday. While no cases have been reported anywhere near North Korea, the country shut out foreign tourists in October with some of the strictest Ebola regulations in the world. The North Korean news media have suggested Ebola was created by the United States military as a biological weapon. Nick Bonner, co-founder of Beijing-based Koryo Tours, said officials informed him Monday that the race on April 12 would be open to local runners only. More than 400 foreigners had signed up with his agency alone, he said. Last year’s marathon was opened to foreign recreational runners for the first time and was seen as a big success. |