PYONGYANG (Reuters) - Ahead of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party anniversary on Saturday, it is a parade of taxis, not tanks, that stands out most in the isolated country's capital, Pyongyang. Parts of impoverished North Korea have been serviced for decades by a small fleet of run-down taxis, but in the last few years the industry has mushroomed in Pyongyang, fuelled by a rising consumer class.
One of the newest players is Air Koryo, North Korea's national airline, which launched a fleet of sky blue and white taxis when Pyongyang's new airport terminal opened earlier this year. "They didn't just trickle in," said Rowan Beard, a guide with Young Pioneer Tours, which brings in Western visitors. "Suddenly there were blue taxis absolutely everywhere." The for-hire signs on the roofs of taxis cruising for fares now punctuate Pyongyang's dimly-lit roads at night. Air Koryo's taxis include sedans as well as mini buses and SUVs.
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