Scots YouTuber runs in Pyongyang International Marathon in North Korea

A Scottish YouTuber was one of 200 foreign runners to take part in the Pyongyang International Marathon event, which returned after a six-year hiatus.

The race, launched in 1981, initially took place annually in April to celebrate the birth of North Korea’s founding leader Kim Il Sung.

The competition was last held in 2019 before the country sealed itself off from the world the following year due to the Covid pandemic.

On April 6, the event returned with hundreds of foreigners competing across the 5km, 10km, half-marathon and marathon.

Lewis was cheered on by a crowd of 50,000 people at the start line. Supplied

Scottish YouTuber Lewis Buchan was one of the amateur runners who took to the streets of the secretive country’s capital for the half-marathon.

The 26-year-old told STV News: “The only way I could get to Pyongyang was to take part in the marathon.

“So technically we weren’t there as tourists we were there as amateur runners, which was made very clear to us.

The route weaved around the capital, passing various landmarks. Supplied

“A few weeks before, there were tours to Rason. I was supposed to be going on that trip but it got cancelled and I was super annoyed.

“Randomly, with about three weeks to go, the Pyongyang Marathon entries opened up so I went for that.

“You just have to fill out a form, then wait to be approved. Then I paid my deposit and received a 12-page brief of things you can and can’t do and what we should bring.

“There was a lot of information.”

The runners were welcomed to the start line at the Kim Il Sung Stadium by 50,000 spectators waving golden flags and singing in unison.

‘Very dystopian’

Lewis described the scenes within the arena as “very dystopian”.

He said: “It looks insane on camera but trust me it was even louder in person.

“Everyone was encapsulated by these people in black suits cheering and singing at the same time.

“Everything was so orchestrated. It felt like WII Sports.”

The route weaved around the capital, passing landmarks such as the Arch of Triumph built to commemorate Kim Il Sung’s role in resisting Japanese rule, and the Mirae Future Scientists’ Street, which is believed to be a residential district for scientists and engineers.

It also offered runners a sense of freedom to explore the city and meet locals without a Koryo Tours guide by their side.

Lewis received a medal after completing the race. Supplied

The YouTuber, with more than 250,000 subscribers, said: “I had two hours running around Pyongyang on my own, which not many people get to do.

“The run was interesting because no one really knows what the city is like. It was far more developed and busy than what I assumed it would be.

“Regardless of whether this was intentional or not, it was busy and the people were friendly.

“We got taught a few Korean phrases, and when you spoke to the crowd, they were amazed. Some of the kids had never seen a foreigner or white person before.

“When I ran past, one kid started shouting ‘ni hao’ (Mandarin for hello) because they thought I was Chinese. The only tourists they had seen in the last six years had been Chinese or Russian.”

After the once-in-a-lifetime experience, Lewis says he has been left with conflicting emotions surrounding the event.

He explained: “I felt so good and I thought this country was completely different to what I expected.

“But I also felt a bit bad because I didn’t know if I was falling for the propaganda.

“You are always questioning your surroundings, but also try to enjoy it at the same time. It was a very strange feeling.

“So much of it felt real but parts of it felt staged.”

You can watch Lewis’ full experience here.