From Prime Minister Kim Deok-hoon to 'Foreign Currency Source' Yoon Jeong-ho
Successive Appointments of 'Kim Jong-un Loyalists' in the Sports Sector
Attention on Participation Starting from the September Hangzhou Asian Games
Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, has appointed Yoon Jeong-ho, Minister of External Economic Relations and 'foreign currency earner,' as the new chairman of the Football Association. Following Premier Kim Deok-hoon's concurrent role as chairman of the National Sports Guidance Committee, Kim Jong-un's close aides have taken key positions in the sports sector, drawing attention to whether North Korea will return to the international sports stage.
On the 9th, the Korean Central News Agency reported on the 'Asian Football Confederation Women's Football Day' commemorative event held the previous day at the Pyongyang International Football School, mentioning that "Comrade Yoon Jeong-ho, Minister of External Economic Relations and chairman of the Football Association, gave a speech."
A graphic mocking that since the British media The Sun has discovered that Chairman Kim Jong-un is a Manchester United fan, rivals Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Antonio Conte (Chelsea), and Ars?ne Wenger (Arsenal) might need to be worried. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Yoon Jeong-ho was appointed Minister of External Economic Relations at the 4th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly in January 2021 and is a key figure controlling North Korea's foreign currency earnings. In the past, he also held positions such as Vice Chairman of the Dangun National Unification Council and Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chosun Cheondoist Chongu Party.
Until recently, football administration was overseen by Ri Ryong-nam, the current North Korean ambassador to China, and it appears that Yoon Jeong-ho was selected as his successor when Ri was assigned to Beijing in February 2021. Appointing the Minister of External Economic Relations, who manages foreign currency, as chairman of the Football Association can be seen as a strong commitment to developing the sports sector.
Known as a 'sports fanatic,' Kim Jong-un has made significant investments in the national sports sector since coming to power. Especially known as an avid football fan, he has sent many promising players to European football academies in Spain, Italy, and other countries for several years, and in 2013, he opened the Pyongyang International Football School to begin nurturing players.
According to the British media outlet The Sun, Antonio Razzi, an Italian senator who visited North Korea in 2017, reported that "Kim Jong-un said he 'really likes' Manchester United of the English Premier League."
Earlier, North Korea revealed last month that Premier Kim Deok-hoon is serving as chairman of the National Sports Guidance Committee. This suggests that the authorities are paying considerable attention to the sports sector.
Accordingly, there is speculation that North Korea might open its borders, which have been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic, through sports. The trigger is expected to be the Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China, this September. The Paris Olympics are also scheduled for July next year. North Korea unilaterally withdrew from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics citing the COVID-19 impact and was suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) until the end of 2022, but participation is possible from this year onward.
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