North Korea freaks out about Ebola and bans foreigners from marathon

The world’s favorite “hermit kingdom” just got a little bit hermitier as North Korea issued a ban on foreigners participating in the annual Pyongyang marathon on April 12th. Officially known as Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, the event is held, along with other festivals, in honor of the birthday of North Korea's founder, Kim Il Sung.

Considering the success of last year’s race, the first to allow foreign competition, the ban is a major disappointment for the 400 runners from abroad that had signed up (and jumped through God knows how many visa hoops) to run. Perhaps no one has been unhappier about the ban, though, than travel agents, including the Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which had put together one of the largest groups ever, about 500 people.

The ban comes under the guise of ebola, curious considering cases of the virus have been found anywhere near North Korea, and the state media has questioned whether the disease was actually a U.S.-made biological weapon. Nonetheless, the border has remained tightly shut (more so than usual) to any foreign visitors since October 2014, when the measures were announced. The few that are allowed in, including diplomats and aid workers, are subject to a 21-day quarantine, which sounds about as fun as being stuck in quarantine for 21 days in North Korea.

Naturally, political motives are suspected by some as the real culprit, or perhaps Lil' Kim just doesn't want to watch North Korean runners getting their pants beat off from the view of his new private jet, "Air Force Un."