North Korea with strong anti-Japan sentiment and popular soccer
Cannot tolerate own players losing to Japan
In worst case, possible imprisonment in labor training camp
The North Korean national football team shocked the world by causing disturbances and threats at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. In response, Japan's Asahi Shimbun highlighted the reasons why North Korean players have no choice but to become aggressive. They explained that the players are desperate because poor performance could lead to imprisonment in a 'labor training camp.'
Earlier, the North Korean men's football team lost 1-2 to Japan in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games held on the 1st at the Xiaoshan Sports Center in Hangzhou, China. Notably, Yuta Matsumura's penalty kick goal in the 35th minute of the second half decided the outcome of the match.
North Korean player Kim Yu-seong demanded water from a Japanese staff member who entered the ground, and when the staff did not hand over the water quickly, he raised his fist as if to commit violence and received a warning. [Image source=YouTube MBC News]
When the penalty kick was awarded during the match, the North Korean side strongly protested to the referee. Moreover, after the game ended, they refused to leave the field, collectively rushing at the referee, and even made violent gestures by lifting water at Japanese staff. They earned the notorious nickname of 'gangster football.'
North Korean coach Shin Yong-nam defended his players at the post-match press conference, saying, "It is true that some players got a bit excited," but also claimed, "The referee was not fair. It is an insult to football," thereby excusing the rude behavior of his players.
Why did the North Korean football team exhibit such aggressive behavior? The Japanese media outlet Asahi Shimbun analyzed the players' actions under the headline "Why North Korean footballers rushed at the referee after losing to Japan" in its global edition that day.
The outlet first pointed to the treatment of players depending on their performance. Asahi explained, "The Hangzhou Asian Games is a crucial place that determines 'heaven and hell' for North Korean athletes," adding, "If players lose in the quarterfinals, they may not get a chance to participate in the next international competition and could be sent to a labor training camp."
The labor training camp is a facility where those sentenced to labor training terms (between six months and one year) by North Korean courts are detained. Inmates live communally in cramped rooms with four to five others and endure harsh forced labor.
Asahi noted, "Even if not sent to a labor training camp, it becomes difficult to find the desired job, and players must be prepared to serve in the military," adding, "If the players who participated in this tournament had achieved good results, they would have been given opportunities to perform on bigger international stages."
According to the media, football is one of the most popular sports in North Korea and is a sport that Kim Jong-un, the State Affairs Commission Chairman, pays attention to. Furthermore, due to the strong 'anti-Japanese sentiment' within North Korea, the North Korean team losing to Japan is unacceptable to the national sentiment.
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