Cycling in North Korea

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A man riding a bicycle along the Taedong River in Pyongyang, 2008

Cycling has become a common mode of transport in North Korea since its economic transition in the early 1990s.[1][2][3]

A ban on bicycles in the country's capital and largest city,

bicycle lanes and bicycle parking, has likewise developed.[3] Foreign and domestic bicycles are available, with used Japanese models particularly coveted.[1]

Cyclists must reportedly obtain a

register bicycles and display a corresponding tag as proof, though the law is often flouted outside the capital.[1] Conflicting reports exist that women are, or have been, banned from riding bicycles, with some claiming the ban to be a personal edict of Kim Jong-il;[4][5]
however, female cyclists are a common sight in North Korea's large cities, indicating this law, too, if it ever existed, is widely ignored.

Ryomyong bicycle-sharing

A station of Pyongyang's bicycle-sharing system

In 2017,

embassy.[6] The Pyongyang Times later published photographs of stations, reporting that the system is overseen by the Pyongyang Bicycle Rental Office (평양자전거임대관리소), with bicycles manufactured domestically by a North Korean/Chinese joint venture, Phyongjin Bicycle Cooperative Company (평진자전거합영회사), located in Sosong district (서성구역). Reservations may be made for 50 won per minute with a stored-value card at one of five locations on Kwangbok Street in the city's scenic Mangyongdae district.[7]

Gallery

  • Cyclists in Chongsan-ri, Kangso, 2008
    Cyclists in Chongsan-ri,
    Kangso
    , 2008
  • Cyclists in Haeju, 2008
    Cyclists in Haeju, 2008
  • Young woman with bicycle, Kaesong, 2010
    Young woman with bicycle, Kaesong, 2010
  • Bicycles crossing a street, Hamhung, 2012
    Bicycles crossing a street, Hamhung, 2012
  • Cyclist using a mobile phone, Hamhung, 2012
    Cyclist using a mobile phone, Hamhung, 2012
  • Bicycles with visible North Korean registration plates in Pyongyang, 2012
    Bicycles with visible North Korean registration plates in Pyongyang, 2012
  • Morning bicycle traffic in Kaesong, 2012
    Morning bicycle traffic in Kaesong, 2012
  • Cyclist transporting cargo along the Kaesong-Nampo motorway, 2015
    Cyclist transporting cargo along the Kaesong-Nampo motorway, 2015
  • Bicycles with visible North Korean registration plates in Kaesong, 2015
    Bicycles with visible North Korean registration plates in Kaesong, 2015
  • A woman pushing a bicycle near Kangso, 2015
    A woman pushing a bicycle near
    Kangso
    , 2015
  • Bicycle parking in Kangwon, 2015
    Kangwon
    , 2015
  • Two men with bicycles, Pyongyang, 2016
    Two men with bicycles, Pyongyang, 2016

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bicycles in North Korea.

References

  1. ^
    OCLC 81252830
    .
  2. ^ "70% of Households Use Bikes". Daily NK. 30 October 2008. Archived from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  3. ^ a b "North Korea introduces cycle lanes in Pyongyang". The Guardian. July 14, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  4. ^ "North Korea Bans Women From Riding Bicycles...Again". CBS News. 17 Jan 2013.
  5. ^ Seok, Kay. "Human Rights in North Korea". The Korea Times.
  6. ^ "'평양 거리에 자전거 대여소 설치...7월부터 운영'<주북 러 대사관". Tongil News (South Korea). 7 July 2017.
  7. ^ North Korea Economy Watch: Pyongyang Bike Share
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