The Wonsan International Friendship Air Festival, the first of its kind in the country, runs from Saturday till Sunday at Kalma International Airport, which was redesigned and reconstructed from a military airfield to promote tourism, Xinhua news agency reported.
Vice Minister of the Ministry of External Economic Affairs Yun Yong-sok and founder of North Korean tourism company British Juche Travel Services David Thompson addressed the opening ceremony.
The two-day air festival includes aerobatic flying shows performed by the Korean People's Army Air Force and the country's state-owned national flag carrier Air Koryo. Professional parachutists and sportsmen from Pyongyang Air Club will present a parachuting display.
Tourists have the opportunity to participate in the festival by choosing a plane for a 30-minute sightseeing flight. They can also experience skydiving with the help of professionals.
The aircraft showcased at the festival include a Hughes 500 helicopter, Ilyushin Il-18 passenger planes, MiG-29 and Su-25 jet fighters, Tupolev Tu-134 and Tu-154 airliners, among many others. Most planes on display are Russian-made.
North Korea has called the festival "a non-political event organised to bring together aviation and air sports enthusiasts from around the world to share in their passion."
