A golf event for amateur players was held in Pyongyang this week, the latest in a series of North Korean state media reports highlighting leisure and recreational activities in the country.
The autumn golf competition took place at the Pyongyang Golf Course from Tuesday through Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. More than 40 male and female golf enthusiasts participated in individual events divided by gender and age, as well as a mixed doubles competition.
The report is part of a broader pattern in which North Korean state media have increasingly portrayed an affluent and leisurely lifestyle in Pyongyang.
Last month, KCNA highlighted the Mirim Riding Club, saying amateur riders visit the facility daily and emphasizing its exercise, massage and bathing facilities. State media have also promoted water parks, resorts and other recreational facilities as symbols of improving living standards.
The messaging comes as North Korea's economy has shown signs of recovery.
North Korea's economy grew an estimated 3.5 percent in 2025, following growth of 3.7 percent in 2024 and 3.1 percent in 2023, according to Seoul's Bank of Korea.
The Bank of Korea cited expanding economic cooperation with Russia, increased trade with China and state-led construction as key drivers of growth. Manufacturing also benefited from demand linked to North Korea's arms cooperation with Russia.
Still, analysts caution that facilities featured by state media largely reflect conditions in Pyongyang and do not necessarily represent living standards across the country.
flylikekite@heraldcorp.com