Kim Il Sung

The marathon, which was launched in 1981, took place annually in April to celebrate the birth of its founding leader Kim Il Sung.

Yesterday's marathon route took participants past landmarks across the city, including the Kim Il Sung stadium, the Arch of Triumph built to commemorate Kim Il Sung's role in resisting Japanese rule, and the Mirae Future Scientists' Street said to be a residential district for scientists and engineers.

In 1994, Carter convinced Kim Il Sung to open North Korea’s nuclear reactors to inspectors.

Pyongyang's propaganda says the mountain is where North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung battled Japanese occupation forces and launched the revolution.

Almost all homes and public offices in North Korea must have portraits of Kim’s father Kim Jong Il and grandfather Kim Il Sung, but featuring that of the younger Kim hadn’t yet been a requirement until recently.