OK, so I'm in a North Korean mood. I just found out something that I am cutting myself up about because even I missed this one... and it's my task to find this info out and inform. Well, better late than never...Yet another beat-up/hearsay/speculation/outright lie about North Korea has been disproven. Something I commented about last month. After the shocking defeat of the DPR Korean team 7-0 by the Portuguese at this year's World Cup in June, the world's media was quick to pounce on a 'report' that the shameful team, upon their return to the fatherland, faced a marathon criticism session and that the coach, Kim Jong Hun, was severely punished. For instance, that bastion of 'truth', Germany's top selling tabloid Bild reported that:
The families of the players have reportedly been under close observation in North Korea during the tournament. Well informed Japanese secret service circles believe that the danger of severe punishment for the players is very real.
So where did this report originate from? Why of course, from a defector called Moon Ki-Nam, a 'former North Korean coach' who fled the country in 2004, who told AP:
The players and coach are rewarded with huge houses when they win, but they have to atone for losing by being sent to work in the coal mines.
Now what did I post about defector testimony before...?
So that's it. Based on this speculation, it was accepted as fact that those evil North Koreans had basically shot, or at least arrested the footballers and the coach with their families and sent them to the coal mines.
Was this the case? NO!
Again, why spoil a great story with the facts. What was not widely reported (except in South Korea) was that the coach did what most other national team coaches do in the same position - he resigned. A criticism session did happen, but yet again, post-mortums would have been undertaken by all football federations that had participated in the World Cup to investigate where things went wrong, what needs to be improved, etc. In North Korea's case, the coach's resignation was rejected by the DPR Korean Football section, giving coach Kim another chance. So they were far kinder and more understanding than the French or Italian football bodies! Plus, no coal mines or arrests. According to more reliable sources, Coach Kim and the boys are already training for their next task - the upcoming Asian Cup to be held in Qatar in January. We will be seeing them then, but with more experience under their belts.
So in the end, no treachery, no horror stories, no evil... just common sense. However, with no balanced reporting, the perception that the North Korean players are being tortured in some sort of North Korean gulag camps remains.
So that's it. Based on this speculation, it was accepted as fact that those evil North Koreans had basically shot, or at least arrested the footballers and the coach with their families and sent them to the coal mines.
Was this the case? NO!
Again, why spoil a great story with the facts. What was not widely reported (except in South Korea) was that the coach did what most other national team coaches do in the same position - he resigned. A criticism session did happen, but yet again, post-mortums would have been undertaken by all football federations that had participated in the World Cup to investigate where things went wrong, what needs to be improved, etc. In North Korea's case, the coach's resignation was rejected by the DPR Korean Football section, giving coach Kim another chance. So they were far kinder and more understanding than the French or Italian football bodies! Plus, no coal mines or arrests. According to more reliable sources, Coach Kim and the boys are already training for their next task - the upcoming Asian Cup to be held in Qatar in January. We will be seeing them then, but with more experience under their belts.
So in the end, no treachery, no horror stories, no evil... just common sense. However, with no balanced reporting, the perception that the North Korean players are being tortured in some sort of North Korean gulag camps remains.
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