Craning over the North Korea track: the North Korea racing game

North Korean Grand Prix

North Korea Racing GameRace a 4.9 km circuit drawn from North Korea's outline

Length: 4.9km
Turns: 16
Main straight: 580m
Slowest corner: 72km/h
Climb: 173m
Setting: Alpine

Steep and long, this North Korea racing game climbs 173 metres in a 4.9 km lap. It's a track drawn from North Korea's border and coast: Chagang-do at the end of the main straight, then Ryanggang and Hyeson in the mountains, east to Rason and Hamgyŏng-bukto, down the East Korea Bay coast through Kangwŏn-do, across the south via Kaesong and Haeju, and up the west coast through Nampo and Pyongyang to P'yŏngan-bukto.

The North Korean Grand Prix is an alpine mountain layout with 16 corners.

The North Korea circuit map

The racing line (orange) inside North Korea's outline; ○ is the start and finish. Open the map

T1Chagang-do
T2Ryanggang
T3Hyeson
T4Rason
T5Hamgyŏng-bukto
T6East Korea Bay
T7Kangwŏn-do
T8Kaesong
T9Haeju
T10Hwanghae-namdo
T11Ongjin
T12Changyon
T13Nampo
T14Pyongyang
T15P'yŏngan-namdo
T16P'yŏngan-bukto

Each corner is named after the place on North Korea's outline it traces.

Screenshots from the North Korea circuit

Through the slowest corner, Nampo

On the grid for the North Korean Grand Prix: North Korea racing game screenshot — On the grid for the North Korean Grand Prix

Over the crest, North Korea: North Korea racing game screenshot — Over the crest, North Korea

Over the viaduct, North Korea: North Korea racing game screenshot — Over the viaduct, North Korea

The climb to the hairpin, North Korea: North Korea racing game screenshot — The climb to the hairpin, North Korea

Down the plunge, North Korea: North Korea racing game screenshot — Down the plunge, North Korea

Around the North Korea track

The Ryugyong Hotel, a tall pyramid of a building, and the Juche Tower stand on the skyline, with the Arch of Triumph closer to the track. Mountains rise steeply around the lap, and rice paddies fill the valley floors between blocky apartment buildings. Buses and trams are parked trackside. The banner greets you in Korean, and the boards name Pyongyang, Kaesong, Wonsan, Hamhung, Paektu and the Taedong.

Juche Tower and Ryugyong Hotel
Juche Tower
Arch of Triumph

How to drive the North Korea circuit

The 580-metre main straight runs into Chagang-do, turn 1. With 173 metres of climb, the mountain section keeps the car working hard. The slowest corner is Nampo, turn 13, at 72 km/h, on the west coast just before Pyongyang. Get that right and the final run north is quick.

Ways to race North Korea

Time TrialA lap for the North Korea leaderboard, chasing the record holder's ghost. Grand Prix RunRace your way across the world's circuits. One free run every day.

What country is this? Guess North Korea from one lap

One lap behind the leader, with the racing line drawing itself as it goes. By the flag it's North Korea's outline. Could you name it before the reveal?

With sound: the video has a voiceover.