After decades of being frowned upon as a primitive means of transport for the citizens of a modern, socialist paradise, the bicycle gained official acceptance in the secretive state in 1992 – although it is officially banned for women. Bicycles are now an expensive but increasingly popular mode of transport for many in the country, where private car ownership, although increasing, is still rare. The change in opinion was partly attributed to the famine and economic crisis of the 1990s, which made other modes of transport too expensive, while power outages made rail services unreliable, US-based website NK News said in a 2017 article. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. These days, Pyongyang is considered bike-friendly, mainly because there are so few cars on the capital’s main roads. Bike lanes and parking spaces are found throughout the city, while bikes are essential in rural areas with almost no other means of transportation. That said, authorities continue to have a love-hate relationship with the bike. Prospective owners must pass a road safety test at their local police station and each bike requires a number plate – a metal tag showing where it was registered, along with a registration number, displayed on the front. As in other countries, bicycles are considered a status symbol in North Korea. Japanese bikes are said to be the most sought after, followed by local models said to be made by prison workers. Chinese bikes are the least sought after, according to Beijing-based Koyro Tours, which has organized cycling breaks for foreign visitors to Pyongyang and other parts of North Korea. In 2015, it was reported that North Korea had installed bike lanes on major roads in Pyongyang, apparently to deal with accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians. It was also a reflection of the increase in the number of people who could afford a bicycle, although they are still beyond the reach of many of the country’s 26 million residents. While license plates are non-negotiable, banning women from riding bicycles has been more difficult to enforce. Women were reportedly banned from cycling in 1995 by then-leader Kim Jong-il, in part because he believed the sight of a woman striking a “seductive” pose on two wheels would corrupt public morals. Others say the reason is more trivial: Kim ordered the ban, with fines and even confiscation for violators, after the daughter of a high-ranking official died after being hit by a car while riding her bicycle in Pyongyang. His son and successor, Kim Jong Un, who has been photographed on horses and amusement park rides but never on a bicycle, lifted the ban in 2012, only to reimpose it a year later. Reports from Pyongyang suggest that while the ban remains in place, harsh economic realities mean it is rarely enforced. Many women would not be able to buy and sell goods in the markets or take their children to and from school without a bicycle.
