Kim Jong Un and senior DPRK officials watch a football (soccer) match between the men’s Hwaebul and 25 April teams (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
On 31 July (Wednesday), Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) attended a men’s football (soccer) match and an archery competition. Attending the athletic competitions with him were VMar Choe Ryong Hae (Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department), Jang Song Taek (Vice Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission, Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Administration Department and Kim Jong Un’s uncle), Kim Kyong Hui (KWP Secretary and department director and Kim Jong Un’s aunt), Kang Sok Ju (DPRK Vice Premier), Ri Yong Su (Director of the KWP Workers’ Organizations Department), Col. Gen. Ri Yong Gil (Chief of the KPA General Staff Operations Bureau), Pak Tae Song (KWP Deputy [vice] Department Director), Hwang Pyong So (Deputy [vice] Director of the KWP Organization Guidance Department), Kim Pyong Ho (KWP Deputy [vice] Department Director), Kim Yong Hun (KWP Deputy [vice] Department Director), Ma Won Chun (KWP Deputy [vice] Department Director), Gen. Kim Yong Chol (Vice Chief of the KPA General Staff and Chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau), Col. Gen. O Kum Chol (Vice Chief of the KPA General Staff), Ri Jong Mu (Minister of Physical Culture and Sport), Ri Ju Bong (Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports KWP Committee) and Jon Yong Nam (Chairman of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League Central Committee).
A football (soccer) match between the men’s Hwaebul Team, of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League Central Committee, and the 25 April Team, of the Korean People’s Army (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un congratulates members of the men’s Hwaebul Team after their victory over the 25 April Team (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with the players and coaches of the Hwaebul men’s football (soccer) team after their victory over the 25 April men’s team. Also in the photo, R, is KIS Socialist Youth League Central Committee Chairman Jon Yong Nam, holding the game ball. The scoreboard in the background says the game occurred in the early evening of 31 July 2013 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
The men’s football match was between the Hwaebul (flaming torch) Team, of the KIS Socialist Youth League Central Committee, and the 25 April Team, from the Korean People’s Army. According to KCNA’s account of the game the Hwaebul squad “took the initiative from the beginning of the match and intensified the attack. When the team went over to a surprise counterattack from defense, forward Kim Yong Gwang scored the first goal in the 27th minute of the first half.” The 25 April squad “made all-out attack, not loosing confidence” and “finally managed to score equalizer with back Ji Kwang Hyok making a precise shot amid a mess in the goal area.” Hwaebul “trounced its rival by scoring two more goals in the eleven meter penalty kick.” After the match, Kim Jong Un “expressed great satisfaction over the nice match and congratulated them on their success in the match.” Kim Jong Un went onto the field and posed for commemorative photograph with the team and its coach. According to KCNA he said “young people should take the lead in raising hot sports wind, too, as the country will be alive when the youth league goes dynamic,” emphasized that “the great importance of soccer in exalting the honor of the country” and said that “it is necessary to round off the soccer techniques, tactics and training methods of Korean style and put them on a higher scientific basis in order to develop soccer.” Kim Jong Un also remarked that “what is important for developing soccer is to find out more reserves for players, underscoring the need to build a well-regulated training system, push ahead with the training tenaciously and frequently organize matches among schools at all levels in particular” and he “underlined the need to increase public concern and state assistance for soccer, calling on officials to pay deep attention to it.” According to KCNA Kim Jong Un “expressed his belief that the sportspersons would perform their duty and mission for bringing sports events including soccer to the world level as they instill confidence and optimism about sure victory into the army and people.”
Kim Jong Un watches an archery competition between the 25 April Defense Sports Team and the Amnokgang Defense Sports Team. Among those also seen attending the competition are the DPRK women’s football (soccer) squad who won the 2013 EAFF cup, Jon Yong Nam (standing, 2nd L), VMar Choe Ryong Hae (seated, 3rd L), Jang Song Taek (seated, 3rd R) and Jang’s wife and Kim Jong Un’s aunt Kim Kyong Hui (seated, R) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Archery competition between the Amnokgang Defense Sports Team and the 25 April Defense Sports Team (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un (seated, 4th L) watches an archery competition between the Amnokgang Defense Sports Team and the 25 April Defense Sports Team. Among senior DPRK officials in attendance is DPRK Vice Premier Kang Sok Ju (seated, 2nd L) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un also watched an archery competition between the 25 April Defense Sports Team, of the KPA, and the Amnokgang Defense Sports Team, of the Ministry of the People’s Security. The competition consisted of women’s team, mixed team and individual women’s ends (events). Kim Jong Un praised the archers when they hit a bull’s eye, according to KCNA. The 25 April Defense Sports Team won the competition. Kim Jong Un remarked that “mental power of the players is important for winning world championship in the archery as is the case with other sports events” and emphasized “the need to motivate the mental power of players so that they may play matches to exalt the honor of the country.” Kim Jong Un also said “great efforts should be directed to archery as it is quite possible for the DPRK’s archers to win international games including Olympics” and “underscored the need to round off archery techniques of Korean style and scientific training methods and fully ensure training conditions.” According to KCNA, he “told officials to pay deep attention to archery and take measures to provide best bows, arrows and other apparatuses to the archers.”
Filed under: 25 April Sports Group (25 April National Defense Sports Group), Administration Department, Amnokgang Sports Team, Central Committee, Central Military Committee, central party life, Choe Ryong Hae, Col. Gen. O Kum Chol, colonel general, corps command, corps commanders, DPRK Archery, DPRK Cabinet, DPRK External Relations, DPRK football (soccer), DPRK-EAFF Relations, DPRK-International Olympic Committee Relations, Events Management Section, Gen. Kim Yong Chol, gsd, gsob, Guard Command, Hwaebul Sports Teams (KISYL), Hwang Pyong So, Jang Song-thaek, Jon Yong Nam (KISYL), Kang Sok Ju, Kim Chong-un inspections, Kim Family, Kim Il Sung Youth League, Kim Jong Un Visits, Kim Jong-un, Kim Pyong Ho (PAD), Kim Yong Hun (CC KWP Dept. Director), kisyl, KJI Personal Secretariat, KKH, Korean People's Army (KPA), Korean People's Internal Security Forces, Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KPA External Relations, KPA General Political Bureau, KPA General Political Department, KPA General Staff, KPA supernumerary organizations, Light Industry Department, Lt. Gen. Ri Yong Gil, Ma Wo'n-ch'un (AD), Machine Building Industry Department, Mangyo'ngdae Revolutionary School Alumni, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ministry of people's security, Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports, Ministry of State Security, Ministry of the People's Armed Forces (MPAF), MPAF GPB, National Defense Commission (NDC), NDC Administration Department, North Korean press, Organization and Guidance Department, Pak Thae Song (KWP CC Dept), party life, Political Bureau, Propaganda and Agitation Department, Pyongyang Defense Command, Reconnaissance Bureau, Ri Jong Mu (Physical Culture and Sports Minister), Ri Ju Bong (MPCS), Ri Yong Su (Workers Orgs/AD), Secretariat, State Physical Culture and Sports Commission, State Security Department, Working Organizations
