Kim Jong Un Attends Performance and Visits PY Construction Projects

DPRK media reported on 15 January that Kim Jong Un attended a concert with members of the central leadership.  Yonhap reports:

Kim, who was promoted to Supreme Commander of the North’s all-powerful Korean People’s Army (KPA), attended the performance titled “We Will Hold Our Supreme Commander in High Esteem for All Ages” in a national music hall, the North’s Korean Central News Agency said in a report.

The media did not, however, report when the performance took place.

Accompanying Kim to the show were top-tier military officers including Ri Yong-ho, the chief of the General Staff of the (North) Korean People’s Army; Jang Song-thaek, vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission; and Kim Yong-chun, the People’s Armed Forces Minister, as well as other key military figures, according to the state news agency.

The show was composed of solos, a chorus and dance performances dedicated to and extolling Kim Jong-un and his father and late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

The show highly praised the immortal achievement of the general (Kim Jong-il) who led our country to become the world’s military power and a dignified nuclear holder, the report noted.

The media also quoted Kim as saying after watching the show that “It was a performance that powerfully demonstrated the true revolutionary characteristics of the KPA.”

The latest outing is Kim’s second reported public attendance to a musical event after he inherited the country from Kim Jong-il, who the north said died of heart failure on Dec. 17.

The reporting of Kim’s visit to the culture event, designed to extol the leader family, is seen as a key move to highlight the legitimacy of the power transfer.

Kim Jong Un visits a miniaturized replica of Pyongyang, which was reported by DPRK media in January 2012. In the background is a model of the Ryugyong Hotel (Photo: KCNA)

On 11 January it was reported that Kim Jong Un visited several ongoing construction projects.  It was his first reported public appearance since his attendance of a concert by the U’nhasu Orchestra with members of the central leadership on 1 January; it was his third reported public appearance since funeral events for Kim Jong Il were held at the end of December 2011.  KCNA English did not report the names of any of the officials who accompanied him on the visit.  Based on available images of his visit, KJU was accompanied by Gen. Kim Won Hong, chief functionary of the Military Security Command [MSC].

Kim Jong Un (R) talking to KPA service members on a construction project. Seen in the center, facing the camera, is Gen. Kim Won Hong (Photo: KCNA)

Members of the Korean People's Army attending a ceremony at Ku'msusan Memorial Hall on Monday, 9 January 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

KJU’s visit to Pyongyang was reported not long after the Korean People’s Army [KPA] conducted a loyalty oath ceremony at Ku’msusan Memorial Palace.  Speakers at the ceremony included VMar Ri Yong Ho, chief of the KPA General Staff, and Gen. Pak Jae Gyong, deputy director of the KPA General Political Department.  Also among those in attendance were National Defense Commission [NDC] Vice-chairman and Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Kim Yong Chun, NDC Member and KPA General Political Department senior deputy (vice) director, Gen. Kim Jong Gak and commanding officers of the KPA’s service branches.  KCNA reports:

A message of pledge to Kim Jong Un, supreme leader of the WPK and the Korean people, was read out by Ri Yong Ho at the rally.

All the service personnel of the KPA more keenly felt the mission of the arms of Mt. Paektu through the unswerving Songun will of Kim Jong Un who solemnly declared that he would accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche the way Kim Jong Il did with a firm hold on the party and the army during the mourning in December in bitter tears, the message said.

The service personnel of the three services of the KPA see an immensely rosy future of Kim Il Sung’s nation and Kim Jong Il’s Korea and feel firmly convinced of a reunified thriving nation, when watching Kim Jong Un standing at the forefront commanding post of the revolution, shouldering upon himself the destiny of the country and the nation, it noted, and went on:

We will build a ten thousands-fold bulwark for protecting the supreme commander and become rifles and bombs to serve as Kim Jong Un first line lifeguards and Kim Jong Un first line death-defying corps by more dynamically conducting the movement for winning the title of the O Jung Hup-led Seventh Regiment, holding high the slogan “Let Us Defend the Party Central Committee Headed by the dear respected Comrade Kim Jong Un with Our Lives!” despite any storm and stress.

We will lead the whole country and all the people in the general offensive to carry out the tasks laid in the decision of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, the joint calls of the C.C. and the Central Military Commission of the WPK and the joint New Year editorial and bring about uninterrupted innovations in combat training, arms and equipment mobilization preparations, the establishment of steel-like military discipline and noble moral traits and lifestyle and the bolstering of companies.

We will successfully play the role as a standard-bearer and shock brigade in the grand advance for this year to significantly commemorate the centenary of birth of President Kim Il Sung, the 70th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il and the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the KPA.

The message stressed that the whole army would more sharply whet the bayonets of the revolution so that it may dash ahead like the wind and wipe out the enemies to the last one if they intrude into the inviolable sky, land and seas of the country even 0.001 mm and thus accomplish the historic cause of national reunification without fail.

Loudly shouting “Devoted Defence of Kim Jong Un!” and “National Reunification” in response to the message of pledge, all the participants made a solemn pledge to carry through the behests of Kim Jong Il and remain true to the leadership of Kim Jong Un.

Speeches were made at the rally to evince their resolutions on behalf of service personnel of the three services of the KPA.

Noting that all the officers and men of the KPA are the descendants of the President and soldiers and disciples of Kim Jong Il, who have grown up under the care of the great persons born of Mt. Paektu, the speakers pledged themselves to hold the President and Kim Jong Il in high esteem for all ages and firmly defend and glorify the Songun revolutionary feats of Kim Jong Il for all eternity.

Chief of the KPA General Staff, VMAR Ri Yo'ng-ho (6th R, front row), speaks at a "pledge" ceremony of KPA service members on 9 January 2012 in Pyongyang (Photo: KCNA)

The KPA loyalty oath ceremony was one of several large scale events for which the party has mobilized numerous DPRK citizens.  Since the publication of the New Year’s editorial and the joint calls of the CC KWP and CMC, and the Political Bureau’s assenting to KJU’s appointment as KPA Supreme Commander, similar events have been held by the party in Pyongyang and Hamhu’ng as well as meetings of athletes, industrial workers, the Korean Democratic Women’s Union and agricultural workers.

Members of the DPRK's central leadership attend a concert at 25 April House of Culture in January 2012. Seen in attendance (L-R): Gen. Kim Jong Gak; Jang Song Taek; VMar Kim Yong Chun; VMar Ri Yong Ho; Kim Yong Nam; Choe Yong Rim; and Kim Ki Nam (Photo: KCNA)

On 9 January DPRK media reported that the country’s central political leadership attended a concert at “the wonderfully-renovated” 25 April House of Culture.  KCNA did not report when the performance occurred or what KPA-based troupe gave the concert.  Eight (8) paragraphs review the songs and the intensity of the performances and the item ends with a short paragraph on the songs about KJU:

There were also such songs as “Footstep” and “We Will Safeguard General Kim Jong Un with Our Lives” that reflect the firm pledge of the KPA to surely carry forward to completion the revolutionary cause of juche, the revolutionary cause of songun started in Mt. Paektu, with arms, holding the dear respected Kim Jong Un in high esteem as the supreme commander.

Party Secretary Choe Ryong Hae (2nd row L) is seen posing for a photo with Kim Jong Un (2nd R) at a visit to a KPA unit. (Photo: KCTV-Yonhap)

Kim Jong Un visits an education room in Chagang Province in October 2011. Kim Jong Il was also present, but the Kims' joint appearance does not appear in the film.

On 8 January 2012 DPRK media aired a 50-minute documentary film Succeeding to the Revolutionary Cause of Paektu which merges footage of Kim Jong Un with his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il Sung.  KJU is depicted as “forming a relationship with the gun barrel from early on.”  KJU is show visiting KPA units, being briefed about munitions production.  He is also shown attending KJI’s observation of the launch of the U’nha-2 rocket in April 2009, which DPRK media said was the launch of the Kwangmyo’so’ng-2 satellite.  At a commemorative photo session, KJU shakes hands with party director Ju Kyu Chang, who then formally introduces KJU to Jon Pyong Ho, the former long-time party manager of the ballistic missile program.  The film’s narrator claims that KJU “issued an order to proclaim…the will of military-first Korea to mercilessly crush even the stronghold of enemies should they intercept the missile and ruthlessly crush the enemies’ fleet and intercept system should they attack.”

Kim Jong Un talking during a joint military exercise. Seen in attendance are Col. Gen. Kim Yong Chol (2nd L), Gen. Kim Won Hong (3rd L) and VMar Kim Yong Chun (R)

Jang Song Taek (R) has only a few cameos in the KJU film

Kim Jong Il smokes a cigarette while being briefed on military exercises by Gen. Kim Myo'ng-kuk (center) in 2010 (Photo: KCTV-Yonhap)

Featured members of the leadership appearing in the film include Ri Yong Ho, Kim Jong Gak, Kim Yong Chol, Kim Won Hong, Gen. Ri Myong Su and Gen. Kim Myong Kuk.   Interestingly, Kim Myong Kuk was filmed both with three (sangjang) and four (taejang) stars on his shoulder which may indicate KJU’s role in Gen. Kim’s temporary demotion in early 2010  According to images from KJU’s visit to the 105th Tank Division in January 2012, this may have happened again at the corps-division level.  The image of a general-grade officer who was temporarily reduced in rank allows the leadership to portray itself as powerful, but also forgiving or benevolent.  This temporary purge of “revolutionization” was practiced by Kim Jong Il, particularly within the central party.  Nearly every current member of the central leadership has gone through the process (at least once).

In viewing the film Dong-a Ilbo finds KJU referring to his mother, Ko Yong Hui:

Airing a documentary on Kim called “Inheriting the Great Achievements of the Military-first Revolution of (Mount) Baekdu,” the North`s Korean Central TV contained the leader`s statements in which he mentioned his mother, Koh Young Hee. The mention appeared in a section of the program in which Kim Jong Un emphasizes loyalty to his father.

The program`s narrator quoted Kim Jong Un as saying, “Once on Feb. 16 (Kim Jong Il’s birthday), (Kim Jong Un) spent all night with his mother waiting for the General (Kim Jong Il), who had yet to return from an onsite inspection tour.” Since Kim Jong Un debuted as successor at a Workers` Party convention in September 2009, North Korean media has not mentioned his mother for nearly three years.

Ko Yong Hui “basked in” Kim Jong Il’s “special affections.”  She attended to him while he recuperated from a severe concussion and, later on, after Kim Il Sung died in July 1994.  Her actual political influence on KJI’s calculations remains open to interpretation by Pyongyang watchers.  Ko’s increasing power, or the perception thereof, in the 1990s frightened some members of the Kim Family and other DPRK elites.  The waxing influence of “the button nose” factored into Song Hye Rang’s decision to leave the country in 1996.

Kim Jong Nam

Song’s nephew and KJI’s eldest son, Kim Jong Nam, had a series of exchanges with a Japanese journalist beginning in January 2011.  The content of those exchanges will be released on 20 January (Friday).  Jong Nam told the journalist that “the existing power elite will probably take over my father’s authority, making Jong Un a symbol.”  AFP (via Korea Herald) reports:

The reporter interviewed Kim in Macao and Beijing last year for a total of around seven hours, the agency said.

Jong-Un was propelled to power by the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il, which was announced on December 19.

His half-brother Jong-Nam has lived in virtual exile, mainly in the Chinese territory of Macau, for many years after falling out of favour with his father, who in turn inherited the rule of the impoverished country from his own father.

Two years ago and with his health rapidly deteriorating, Kim Jong-Il moved Jong-Un — believed to be in his late 20s — into the position of designated successor, giving him military posts and raising his profile.

Jong-Nam last year gave an interview to the Tokyo Shimbun in which he said he opposed the idea of a power transfer within North Korea’s first family.

“Hereditary succession did not happen even under Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong,” he said at the time. “(Hereditary succession) does not fit socialism and my father was against it.”

Tokyo Shimbun said Jong-Nam did not directly respond to questions over whether he attended the elaborate funeral and memorial ceremony for his father in North Korea.

Earlier this month, Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported Jong-Nam secretly visited Pyongyang after learning about his father’s death, and before it was publicly announced two days later.

 Kim Jong Nam had spoken to his father in early summer in 2011 and concluded that KJI’s health was deteriorating.

Kim Jong Un Visits 105 Tank Divison

Kim Jong Un (6th L) poses for a commemorative photograph in this image from KCTV after a visit to the 105th Tank Division. Also seen in attendance are Hwang Pyong So (2nd L) Jang Song Taek (3rd L), Ri Yong Ho (3rd L), Kim Jong Gak (3rd R), Pak Jae Gyong (2nd R) and Hyon Chole Hae (R)

DPRK media reported on 1 January that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) conducted an inspection of the Korean People’s Army’s [KPA] 105th Tank Division (also known as the 105th Armored Division).  Kim Jong Un visited the tank division’s barracks, historical exhibitions, education facilities and posed for a commemorative photograph with members of the unit.

He was accompanied by Ri Yong Ho, Jang Song Taek, Kim Jong Gak, Hwang Pyong So, Hyon Chol Hae and Pak Jae Gyong.  Kim Jong Un’s visit to the 105th Tank Division, also known as the Seoul Ryu Kyong Su 105 Guard Tank Division,  on the first day of the year continues a precedent set by Kim Jong Il, whose inspections of the division were reported on 1 January in 2009 and 2010.  KJI was not reported to have inspected the division during 2011, however he observed the division’s exercises in December 2010, his penultimate reported public appearance of 2010.

Kim Jong Un’s involvement in military affairs and KPA support for his succession were a significant aspect of the 2012 Joint New Year’s Editorial:

The officers and men of the KPA should cherish an unshakable faith that the great Comrade Kim Jong Il will always be with them and a noble moral obligation to him, and firmly defend his achievements for army-building and add eternal glory to them by force of arms.

The entire army should place absolute trust in and follow Kim Jong Un and become human rifles and bombs to defend him unto death, holding high the slogan “Let us defend with our very lives the Party Central Committee headed by the dear respected Comrade Kim Jong Un!”

At this juncture, when the Juche-oriented cause of army building has entered a new historic phase, the KPA should intensify the Party political work aimed at thoroughly establishing the unified command system of Kim Jong Un, Supreme Commander of our revolutionary armed forces. True to the lifetime intentions of Kim Jong Il, it should take the lead in supporting faithfully the Songun-based revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Un, the brilliant commander born of Mt. Paektu, and establish throughout it the revolutionary climate of carrying out his orders and instructions to the letter, without reservation and even unto death.

The security of our country and people, heritage bequeathed by Kim Jong Il, and victory in the building of a thriving nation, rest on the arms of Songun. Under the slogan “Training is also a battle!” the KPA should conduct training in an atmosphere of actual battle as befits the revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu, so as to prepare all the officers and men to be a-match-for-a-hundred combatants who could implement independently and actively the operational combat tasks assigned to them, a death-defying corps for national reunification. They should be fully ready to deal prompt and merciless blows at the enemy and achieve national reunification, if they dare infringe upon our dignity and sovereignty.

Yonhap reported:

The lengthy editorial published by the North’s newspapers of the party, military and youth militia is closely scrutinized by officials and experts in South Korea, the United States and other regional powers as it offers clues on the North’s policy goals in the new year.

The North’s repeated appeal for allegiance comes as Kim, believed to be in his late 20s, appears to be consolidating his power he inherited upon the death of his father, the late leader Kim Jong-il, last month.

Kim has risen to the post of the supreme commander of the communist nation’s massive armed forces, in the latest sign that the late Kim’s youngest son has been solidifying power.

The editorial pressed its military to intensify political efforts to thoroughly establish Kim’s “unified command system.”

Winning support from the country’s 1.1 million-strong military, which served as a key backbone of the late Kim’s totalitarian rule, is seen as key for the young leader in consolidating his power.

The editorial praised the untested leader as “the brilliant commander” and “another peerless patriot” who is “precisely the great Kim Jong-il,” in what could be the North’s latest attempt to ensure the second father-to-son power succession goes smoothly.

The late leader assumed power in 1994 when his father, the North’s founding leader Kim Il-sung, died of heart failure at the age of 82.

Despite Kim’s demise, North Korea said it will uphold the policies of its late leader to help achieve a thriving socialist country under the leadership of his son, Kim Jong-un.

“It is the steadfast determination of our party that it will make no slightest vacillation and concession in implementing the instructions and policies he had laid out in his lifetime and that it will allow no change in this process,” the editorial said.

The North’s message underscored its commitment to stabilizing Kim’s leadership by following his late father’s instructions, said a South Korean official handling inter-Korean affairs.

“It shows that internal stability is the North’s top priority,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing policy.

Kim Jong Un was also reported to have visited Ku’msusan Memorial Palace on 1 January (Sunday) with members of the central leadership.             This visit was his first reported public appearance since the national memorial rally for KJI on 29 December and his first public activity since he was identified as KPA Supreme Commander during a Political Bureau meeting on 30 December.  KCNA reports:

Kim Jong Un, supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army and supreme leader of the Workers’ Party of Korea, state and army, together with senior officials of the party, state and armed forces organs, visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace Sunday on the New Year to pay homage to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il.

He was accompanied by senior officials of the party, state and armed forces organs Kim Yong Nam, Choe Yong Rim, Ri Yong Ho, Kim Kyong Hui, Kim Yong Chun, Kim Ki Nam, Choe Thae Bok, Yang Hyong Sop, Kang Sok Ju, Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Gak, Kim Yang Gon, Kim Yong Il, Pak To Chun, Choe Ryong Hae, Thae Jong Su, Kim Phyong Hae, Mun Kyong Dok, Ju Kyu Chang, U Tong Chuk and Kim Chang Sop and members of the Central Military Commission of the WPK and the DPRK NDC and staff members of the KPA Supreme Command.

Kim Jong Un first paid tribute to Kim Il Sung.

He entered the hall where the statue of Kim Il Sung is standing.

Laid before the statue was a floral basket in the joint name of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK, the DPRK National Defence Commission and the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly and the Cabinet of the DPRK.

Kim Jong Un, together with senior officials of the party, state and armed forces organs, paid tribute to the statue of the President and then entered the hall where the President lies in state.

He, together with senior officials of the party, state and armed forces organs, made a bow to the President in humblest reverence.

Then he paid tribute to Kim Jong Il.

He entered the hall where the portrait of smiling Kim Jong Il is displayed.

Laid before the portrait was a floral basket in the joint name of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK, the DPRK National Defence Commission and the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly and the Cabinet of the DPRK.

Kim Jong Un, together with senior officials of the party, state and armed forces organs, made a bow in humblest reverence before the portrait of smiling Kim Jong Il, paying high tribute to him.

A couple of notes;  first, in reporting on Kim Jong Un’s public activities KCNA also reported the day the visits occurred.   DPRK media gradually phased out and then completely ceased during 2002-2003 when it reported on KJI’s public appearances, except for publicized visits by foreign government officials or if he attended national events such as SPA sessions, parades or report meetings.  Second, in reporting Kim Jong Un’s visit to Ku’msusan KCNA reported that KJU and other members of the central leadership visited KIS’ body (“the hall where the president lies in state”), but only visited the portrait of KJI.

IOC Conducts Boxing Clinic in DPRK

Ministry of Commerce Women's Boxing Team

The International Olympic Committee conducted a boxing clinic in the DPRK during 21 to 26 July.  Coach of the Indian national team, Gurbax Singh Sandhu led the clinic which took place in Pyongyang.  Singh was the first Indian boxing coach selected to run an IOC clinic.  The DPRK has several boxing clubs within its government, military and youth organizations, and some DPRK boxers have fought in international amateur competitions and professional matches.  Sandhu told PTI:

“It was a memorable experience and I feel honoured to have been invited for such a clinic,” said Sandhu.

“What I could gauge there was that North Korea has some excellent boxers but they do need good mentors to guide them,” he added.

ROK-DPRK 2018 Winter Olympic Trial Balloon

Chang Ung (L), DPRK member on International Olympic Committee (Photo: Yonhap)

Jang Ung (Chang Ung), the DPRK’s representative on the International Olympic Committee, expressed interest in the country hosting some events as part of 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Kangwo’n Province.  Jang later revised his comments, a reaction to a proposal by ROK elected official Sohn Hak-kyu.  Yonhap reports:

North Korea would like to co-host the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in the South Korean alpine town of PyeongChang, a senior North Korean sports official said Wednesday.

Jang Ung, a North Korean member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said it was a “positive” for Asia to host its third Winter Games. When asked about the possibility of sharing some events with PyeongChang, Jang replied, “I hope so.”

“The political and military situations between the Koreas aren’t good, and they have to be improved,” Jang said. “Otherwise, they could influence the Olympics.”

Jang arrived in Tokyo to attend the general assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Jang, however, backtracked on his words later in the day. He said it was “premature” to discuss whether the Koreas should co-host the Olympics or should at least split some events across the border.

“My point was that the current situations between South and North Korea must improve,” Jang explained. “It’s not yet time to talk about co-hosting.”

PyeongChang beat Munich of Germany and Annecy of France last week to win the bid for the 2018 Games. Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu, head of South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party, said earlier this week that he will explore ways for the two Koreas to co-host the Games.

The two Koreas remain technically at war with each other because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. They have fielded joint teams in football and in table tennis in international events, but never at an Olympics or an Asian Games. They have marched in together for opening ceremonies, most recently at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Jang was one of several DPRK officials visiting Tokyo for the Olympic Council of Asia meeting, which will be held Thursday (14 July).  Hankyoreh reports:

Three North Korean officials entered Japan Tuesday following the Japanese government’s issuance Monday of visas for five officials hoping to attend a general meeting of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in Tokyo on Thursday. This marks the first time the Japanese government had admitted North Koreans since October 2006 measures barring their entry.

According to Japanese press reports Tuesday, three officials, including North Korean Olympic Committee vice chairman and vice minister of culture and sports, Son Kwang-ho, arrived at Japan’s Narita Airport via Beijing on Monday night. Two others, including International Olympic Committee member Chang Ung, are scheduled to arrive in Japan on Wednesday from Vienna, Austria.

This is the first Japan visit by North Korean officials since Japan barred the entry of people of North Korean nationality on Oct. 13, 2006, as an independent punishment North Korea’s nuclear test. Four years and nine months have passed since the measures were taken.

At a press conference Monday afternoon, Deputy Foreign Minister Yutaka Banno explained the reasoning behind permitting Chang and the other four officials’ entry by saying, “Refusing participation of a particular national council is in conflict with the Olympic Council of Asia charter and could be taken as international sanctions.”

The visas issued to the officials by Japan’s Foreign Ministry are valid through Friday. Observers are taking this to mean that they were issued solely for the purpose of attendance at the OCA meeting Thursday.

IOC Expresses Concern about doping by DPRK WWC Team

AFP reports that the head of the International Olympic Committee’s Medical Commission is “looking into” the DPRK’s internal control processes for its athletes who use anabolic steroids, after two players from the DPRK’s women’s soccer team tested positive for the performance enhancers during the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

Professor Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the IOC’s Medical Commission, has said he will look into the matter after North Korean defenders Song Jong-Sun and Jong Pok-Sim failed doping tests at Germany 2011.

The pair were removed from the lineup for North Korea’s goalless draw with Colombia in Bochum on Wednesday and with their team eliminated, the squad left Germany early on Thursday morning to return home.

Ljungqvist says he wants to know more about testing in North Korea, but is realistic about finding out more about doping checks in the Asian totalitarian state.

“I understand the mistrust of others, but I do not really know much about doping controls in this country, which has a closed society like no other in the world,” said Ljungqvist at the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa.

Football’s governing body FIFA had the remaining 19 members of the North Korean team tested for banned substances after their final group game and have asked for Song and Jong’s B samples to be examined.

In total, there have now been three failed doping tests at the women’s World Cup after Colombian player Yineth Varon failed an out-of-competition test in Leverkusen on 25 June.

Chang Ung (Photo: ITF)

The news of Professor Ljungqvist’s concerns occurred after Japan exempted the DPRK’s IOC representative, Chang Ung, from an October 2006 ban on DPRK nationals traveling to that country.  According to Kyodo, Chang has been allowed to attend the 14 July (Thursday) Olympic Committee of Asia meeting and will remain in the country from 11 July (Monday) to 17 July (Sunday).

 

DPRK Draws 0-0 Against Columbia

The DPRK women’s team played Columbia to a scoreless draw Wednesday (6 July) Bochum, Germany during their final appearance at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.  The DPRK finished third in Group C with 0 wins, two losses and Wednesday’s draw.  They were the youngest team to compete in this year’s WWC.

Now, let us not be hearing any rumors about large-scale self criticism sessions; maybe leave it at the party cell.

(Update 7 July 2011)

The DPRK-Columbia match, it seems, was clouded over by player suspensions after they tested positive for banned substances.  Bloomberg reports:

Two North Korean players failed drug tests at the Women’s World Cup in Germany, soccer’s governing body said.

Song Jong Sun and Jong Pok Sim were provisionally suspended before yesterday’s game against Colombia in Bochum, FIFA said in a statement, without identifying which substances they tested positive for. The two had been tested after the team’s previous matches and the results received yesterday morning.

As a result, the entire North Korean team was tested after yesterday’s game, FIFA said. North Korea failed to advance out of the group stage.

Colombian goalkeeper Yineth Varon was suspended June 28 after a positive out-of-competition drug test three days earlier. She requested her second sample be tested, which confirmed the first, and disciplinary proceedings have now been opened against her, FIFA said, without identifying the substance.

Sweden Beats DPRK 1-0

The DPRK’s youthful women’s soccer squad remains winless in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, losing on Saturday [2 July] 1-0 to Sweden in Augsburg, Germany.  Despite DPRK goalkeeper Hong Myon’g-hu’i racking up four (4) saves, a single goal by Sweden’s Lisa Dahlkvist in minute 64 caused the country’s defeat.  The DPRK will face Columbia (who lost 3-0 to the US on Saturday) on Wednesday [6 July], for US viewers the game will begin at 14:00 on ESPN 2 or via streaming video from ESPN3.com.  Outside the US, streaming video of the match is available from FIFA’s website.

Marcus Han wrote another essay about the DPRK team’s experience traveling and playing in Germany in Hankyoreh:

Team officials and players have generally had a positive view of them while traveling around the Augsburg Hotel, where the second matches are to be played. This has come as something of a surprise to hotel employees and guests, as well as players and officials for other countries’ teams, owing to the almost uniformly negative depiction of them in the news articles through which the general public has encountered the North Korean team. To go by the reports, the North Korean players are cooped up like soldiers without any freedom or rights, and the expectation is that they will have severe, unsmiling expressions on their faces to match.

For the media here, North Korea’s first match against the United States in Dresden on June 29 was second only to the German match in the level of interest accorded to it. Naturally, there was a torrent of story requests and fierce competition to cover the players. As the official in charge of the North Korean team, I had to respectfully decline more than twenty coverage requests a day in accordance with team policy and recommend attending the official interview instead, which placed be in a very awkward position. Upset over the refusal to grant an interview, some of the journalists would write very negative stories. I even saw one incredible article that painted me, a South Korean who grew up in Germany, as coldly rebuffing the request in collusion with the North Koreans.

But the North Korean athletes smile more than any country’s players at the hotel and offer friendly greetings. Everyone who has met them personally has come to realize that they are just like athletes from any other team, not tools for political propaganda, and that they are football players hoping to give their all for a victory at the World Cup.

Every team is given the opportunity to train on the ground where the next day’s match will be held and test the grass. This is accompanied by an official press conference. But the questions posed to the North Korean team often seem like the sort of things one would encounter a political event rather than having any bearing on sports or football. North Korean coach Kim Kwang-min waved off such questions and requested that the reporters only ask questions about the match. Even so, the same questions came up again at the official press conference following the match.

It is somehow upsetting to see journalists merely writing negative pieces about the North Korean players, as though they are some secretive beings shrouded under a dark veil. But the non-media people who have met the team members have marveled at a different side of the team they did not know about before, and offered their support for the team to stay in the World Cup for as long as possible.

No Interviews of DPRK Women’s World Cup Team [UPDATED 28 June]

UPDATE [28 June]

The US defeated the DPRK teenagers 2-0, despite Hong Myo’ng-hu’i's best efforts.  The DPRK will face Sweden on Saturday [2 July] around 8:00 am [EST].  The AP reports:

It was the fourth straight time the teams had met in group play at the World Cup, and the Americans have won all games but one.

North Korean coach Kim Kwang Min blamed his team’s failings in the second half on a June 8 lightning strike during training in Pyongyang that sent “more than five” players to the hospital. Goalkeeper Hong Myong Hui, four defenders and some of the midfielders were the players most affected, Kim said.

“The physicians actually said the players were not capable of playing in the tournament,” Kim said through an interpreter. “They’re not physically ready for this match, but they had a strong will.”

The Americans now face Colombia, which lost 1-0 to Sweden, on Saturday in Sinsheim.

The young North Koreans — only two had played in a World Cup before — looked pretty good in the first half. The Americans started the game strong, controlling play with crisp passing and good speed. But the North Koreans gained confidence as time went on, shutting down the U.S. attack in the midfield and repeatedly pushing forward in the closing minutes before halftime.

Kim Su Gyong took a shot from close range in the 34th minute, but U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo punched it away. Four minutes later, Song Jung Sun slid a shot right in front of the goal that Solo couldn’t reach. No other Americans were there to clear it away — neither were the North Koreans — and Ali Krieger finally booted the ball to safety.

“The opening to any game, emotions are going to be flying, players are going to be flying, it’s going to be ugly sometimes,” Solo said. “It was a little sloppy at the beginning, but we weathered the storm.”

U.S. coach Pia Sundhage told her players at halftime to take the ball outside and make more use of the flanks. The improvement was clear immediately.

Cheney, making her first start since March, had two shots caught by Hong in the first five minutes of the half. In the 51st minute, Abby Wambach took a sliding shot from the edge of the 6-yard box, only to watch the ball sail over the net.

Finally, in the 54th, Wambach dribbled quickly up the left flank and took a step as if to move inside, spinning a North Korean defender around. Wambach dribbled a few more steps before chipping in a perfect cross that Cheney nodded past Hong.

I’m actually not a very good header,” Cheney said. “I just knew I wanted to redirect it back to the same place it came from.”

It was Cheney’s 14th goal in her 40th appearance for the United States.

“When Lauren scored that goal, it’s obviously kind of like the monkey off your back,” Wambach said.

The Americans practically camped themselves on North Korea’s side of the field, with Wambach hitting the crossbar in the 65th and Amy Rodriguez putting a shot wide in the 73rd before Rachel Buehler scored the insurance goal in the 76th minute. A shot off the crossbar ricocheted back into the scrum and Carli Lloyd collected the ball and headed it to Buehler, who unleashed a monster strike with her right foot. Hong dove and stretched out her hand, but she never got close and the ball rolled into the net.

It was the second goal of the defender’s career.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to build confidence off this win,” Buehler said.

 

Photo: FIFA

The DPRK will face the US on Tuesday [28 June] in a Group C match  in the FIFA 2011 Women’s World Cup in gorgeous Dresden, Germany.  In the US, the match can be viewed on television on ESPN beginning at 11:45 am [EST], or via streaming video either through ESPN [http://espn.go.com/espnnetworks/] or through FIFA’s website [http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/video/live/index.html].

KCNA reported on 24 June that Minister of Physical Culture and Sports, Pak Myo’ng-ch’o'l [Pak Myong Chol] and a delegation departed the DPRK for Germany to “attend the opening ceremony” and, presumably, Tuesday’s match.  It is likely that Pak will be joined by newly appointed DPRK Ambassador to Germany, Ri Si-hong [Ri Si Hong].

The DPRK and US women’s teams last played one another to a 2-2 tie in September 2007.

“They’re [US] ready…I don’t have any concerns,” US Head Coach Pia Sundhage told ESPN at the end of Day Two.  Asked what was important, she replied   “Discipline, defensively.  Be compact because I think they’re (DPRK) pretty good between the boxes.  And they’ll knock it around and put some pressure on us.”

Marcus Han writes in Hankyoreh of his experiences as “administrator” for the team, which is traveling with its own chef.

The 6th FIFA Women’s World Cup has begun. Typically, the FIFA tournament steering committee appoints an administrator for each country when an international event is held. This person needs to be well-versed in the country’s language and culture. It is a gesture of consideration so that each country’s team is able to compete comfortably in a big event without any major cultural or linguistic difficulties. Since South Korea is not competing in this event, I was assigned administrative duties for the North Korean team.

North Korea has something of a strong reputation in women’s football. In particular, it has achieved major results on a number of occasions at the junior level. But it has yet to achieve a victory in the adult event. The women’s football world rankings have South Korea in 16th place and North Korea in 8th. Despite the very young average age of its players, the North Korean team is a dark horse for this event. The team recently saw a changing of the generational guard, and while it is unfortunate that there are so few veteran players, there is nothing wanting in the team’s abilities.

One of my duties has to do with the press. Because of North Korea’s political characteristics, the team is drawing some media attention, but a team official asked me to respectfully decline all interview requests. The reason given was that the players wish to focus on training and do not want to give any interviews other than those officially for FIFA.

An average of around ten interview requests per day come in the day before a tournament begins, and it is realistically difficult to have to turn them all down. Journalists and photographers wait outside the hotel, while paparazzi stand outside the training site pointing cameras at the players. Security personnel have to constantly be on their guard. On the day of a 3-0 North Korean victory in a friendly match with England last week, there was even an incident where journalists hid in the bathroom of the stadium clubhouse and attempted to secretly cover the match.

When they inevitably fall short of information on the team, journalists often write pieces based on their own preconceptions and imagination. When you open the newspaper over breakfast, you find articles with negative expressions like “military unit,” “punishment training,” and “emotionless players.” Regrettably, North Korea‘s political situation and closed-door approach to the media make it difficult to escape the preconceptions of the press here, and consequently to earn favor from the public.

What I have sensed from the North Korean team as an administrator is rather different from when I served in the same position for the South Korean team. Chief among these differences is the economic aspect. In reality, however, the North Korean team is not concerned about this. Every team is inevitably going to experience a different level of satisfaction with the economic aspect, but the North Korean players and team officials not only have no great demands, they are exceedingly grateful for very small things.

In the West, white bread and cheese are considered nutritious sports foods. But Koreans cannot eat such things at every meal. In a very happy development for me, the North Korean team came with a cook this time around. The food this cook prepares is not exactly like the things I eat in South Korea, but the taste is very similar.

The training is very long and thorough. The athletes have a perfect command of every technique and are physically strong. Still, it appears that victory in a physical battle with the larger Western athletes may be beyond them.

The DPRK roster is available here.

Additional information on both teams is available at the following:

ESPN US Team Page

FIFA US Team Page

ESPN DPRK Team Page

FIFA DPRK Team Page

DPRK To Face US at Women’s World Cup on 28 June

The DPRK will face the US in Group C matches at FIFA Women’s World Cup in Dresden, Germany on 28 June [Tuesday].  The match will be broadcast on ESPN at 12:15 pm [EST] on Tuesday, and will also be available as streaming video on ESPN’s website (http://espn.go.com/espnnetworks/).  ESPN offered a brief preview of the team (roster available here):

• Group C features three teams ranked in the top eight of FIFA’s World Rankings — United States (1), Sweden (5) and North Korea (8). Those three nations have an average ranking of 4.7, the highest average of any group’s top three teams in the tournament.

• Sweden and North Korea were drawn into the same group as the United States for the third straight Women’s World Cup. North Korea advanced with the United States in 2007 while Sweden advanced in 2003. Sweden has won both group stage meetings with North Korea, 2-1 in 2007 and 1-0 in 2003. The odds of North Korea and Sweden being drawn into the United States’ group at three straight Women’s World Cups is approximately 0.1 percent.

North Korea is the youngest team in the tournament with an average age of 20 years, 11 months. The North Korean squad will feature 10 players under the age of 20 at the start of the tournament and only three players aged 25 or older. Jo Yun-Mi is the player to watch for North Korea, as she scored three goals during qualifying and was named the MVP of the 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Meanwhile, KCNA reported on 22 June of a newly released television series about the women’s soccer team:

A new TV series “Korean Women’s Soccer Team” is now on in the DPRK.

The five-part drama is based on the story about the DPRK women’s soccer team, which won the 3rd FIFA U-20 World Championship.

The hero of the drama is the team’s senior coach, who does his utmost to display the honor of the country all over the world.

The drama gives a vivid representation of the girls’ high ambition for world cup and their strenuous effort to realize it.

The cast contains Jon Myong Hui and other celebrated footballers.