Analysis Reveals North Korean Soccer Players’ Aggressive Behavior May Have Been Ordered by Kim Jong-un
In a recent interview with Japanese publication Asahi Shimbun, Professor Go Young-hwan, who previously worked as an interpreter and diplomat for President Kim Il-sung in North Korea, shed light on the aggressive actions displayed by North Korean soccer players during the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. Professor Go suggested that these behaviors were a direct result of orders from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
During the quarter-finals match against Japan, North Korean player Kim Yu-sung received a warning for threatening a staff member who was inspecting a Japanese player. When the referee awarded a penalty kick to Japan, the North Korean players reacted violently, pushing the referee’s neck. Japan went on to win the game 2-1. Professor Go stated that if North Korea were facing Japan, who they consider their “enemy,” on an international stage like the Asian Games, they would have been instructed to take a hardline approach to defeat the opponent.
Not only did the athletes display aggressive behavior, but North Korean officials also showed hostility towards South Korea. Judo athlete Kim Cheol-gwang refused a handshake request and left the match despite defeating South Korea’s Kang Heon-cheol. Additionally, the coach of the North Korean women’s soccer team, Lee Yu-il, insisted on being referred to as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea instead of North Korea during interviews with South Korean reporters.
Professor Go believes that although Kim Jong-un’s team lost, the leader would still consider their performance as fighting valiantly for the glory of North Korea. Furthermore, he explained that party executives and State Security Service agents closely monitored the players and coaches, ensuring they followed instructions. The intense control exerted by Kim Jong-un is a result of his fear that public sentiment may turn against him, leading to a vicious cycle of worsening domestic atmosphere.
Professor Go concluded that North Korea’s foreign policy has regressed to resemble the Cold War era. The aggressive actions of their athletes serve as a means to foster domestic unity, according to him. He emphasized the presence of security officials within the North Korean delegation, who disguise themselves as reporters to monitor the behavior of players and coaches, preventing them from engaging in unnecessary conversations with officials from other countries.
This analysis offers valuable insights into the state of affairs within North Korea, highlighting how the regime employs sport as a tool for political control.
Money Today Reporter Kim Jong-hoon | 2023.10.05 12:08
‘Kim Il-sung’s translator at the time’ Professor Go Young-hwan interview with Japan’s Asahi Shimbun “North Korea treats sport as if it were war… they must have ordered ‘defeat Japan’ “
North Korean players rush towards the referee after losing a soccer match against Japan at the Hangzhou Asian Games. /AFPBBNews=News 1 Analysis suggests the ‘gangster football’ played by North Korean soccer players at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games may have been ordered by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
━
Shoving the referee’s throat and punching a staff member… “Kim Jong-un’s instructions”
━
Ko Young-hwan, an adjunct professor at Korea Tourism University who worked as an interpreter and diplomat for President Kim Il-sung in North Korea and went into exile in 1991, said in an interview article published in the Asahi Shimbun on the 5th that the aggressive behavior of North Korean football players was “every order from Chairman Kim.”
The North Korean men’s soccer players played in the quarter-finals against Japan on the 1st. In this match, North Korean player Kim Yu-sung received a warning after threatening with his fist a staff member who went into the ground to inspect a Japanese player.
When the referee awarded a penalty kick (PK) to Japan due to a North Korean foul, the North Korean players showed violent behavior by pushing the referee’s neck. Japan scored a PK and won 2-1. When the referee declared the game over, the North Korean players ran straight to the referee and protested fiercely.
Regarding this, Professor Go said, “If we were to face the ‘enemy’ Japan on the international stage of the Asian Games, there would have been instructions to take down the opponent with a hard line approach.” “I would have done it,” he said.
North Korean officials who participated in the Asian Games also showed a hostile attitude towards South Korea. North Korean judo athlete Kim Cheol-gwang refused a handshake request and left the match despite defeating South Korea’s Kang Heon-cheol to reach the quarter-finals. Lee Yu-il, the coach of the North Korean women’s soccer team, disagreed with South Korean reporters referring to North Korea as ‘North Korea’ by convention in international competitions. Director Lee raised his voice, saying, “It’s not North Korea, it’s the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. I won’t answer (if you don’t call me right). Do you understand?”
━
“Kim Jong-un, even though he lost, he will think he fought well.”
━
Professor Ko said, “Chairman Kim must have watched the men’s soccer match and was angry at the defeat of the national team.” He added, “After seeing the behavior of the North Korean players towards the Japanese players, he must have thought, ‘We fought well for the glory of North Korea.'” he did.
In response to Asahi’s question, “Should the players follow (Chairman Kim’s) instructions?” Professor Go said, “Party executives are accompanying the North Korean delegation issuing instructions from the Workers’ Party of Korea and State Security Service agents monitoring the players and coaches.” He replied, “Because this North Korean delegation consists of 200 people, about 5 security agents would have been sent.”
Professor Go said, “Because reporters can enter anywhere, the security officers probably disguised themselves as reporters,” and added, “They are monitoring whether players or coaches are acting in according to party instructions and whether they have unnecessary conversations with Japanese or Korean officials. .” he said. He went on to say, “If players or coaches don’t follow instructions, they can be at a disadvantage.” He added, “Security officials require players or coaches to report their destination when they go out and prohibit them from operating alone. they fear a step from North Korea. “
Professor Ko explained that he was able to gain insight into the anxiety within North Korea through the actions of North Korean athletes. He analyzed, “Chairman Kim is strengthening control because he is afraid that public sentiment will leave,” and “In this process, he is caught in a vicious circle where the domestic atmosphere worsens. ” He said, “(Chairman Kim) would have ordered the players to take a violent response in order to promote domestic unity,” and added, “I believe North Korea’s foreign policy has completely returned to the Cold War era.”
[저작권자 @머니투데이, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
#Pushing #punching #referee.. #Kim #Jongun #North #Koreas #gangster #football #Japan
