North Korean football team shamed in six-hour public inquiry over World Cup

[mike r]

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

The entire squad was forced onto a stage at the People's Palace of Culture and subjected to criticism from Pak Myong-chol, the sports minister, as 400 government officials, students and journalists watched.

The players were subjected to a "grand debate" on July 2 because they failed in their "ideological struggle" to succeed in South Africa, Radio Free Asia and South Korean media reported. The team's coach, Kim Jong-hun, was reportedly forced to become a builder and has been expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea. The coach was punished for "betraying" Kim Jong-un - one of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il's sons and heir apparent.

The country, in its first World Cup since 1966, lost all three group games – including a 7-0 defeat to Portugal. The broadcast of live games had been banned to avoid national embarrassment, but after the spirited 2-1 defeat to Brazil, state television made the Portugal game its first live sports broadcast ever.

Following ideological criticism, the players were then allegedly forced to blame the coach for their defeats. Only two players avoided the inquisition - Japanese-born Jong Tae-se and An Yong-hak, who flew straight to Japan after the tournament. However, media in South Korea said the players got off lightly by North Korean standards. "In the past, North Korean athletes and coaches who performed badly were sent to prison camps," a South Korean intelligence source told the Chosun Ilbo newspaper.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkor...

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. Vince Lombardi, he ain't. n/t

[donco6]

2. I guess you could say they're progressing.

We should be happy, right? I mean, stepping away from throwing their WHOLE team in jail is a step toward progress. Too bad about the coach, but whatdya want? A fucking pony?

[Turbineguy]

3. So just how bad is your country?

I applied for asylum in North Korea

[Yeahyeah]

4. I guess they can at least see the stars at night there.

[AspenRose]

5. "The beatings will continue until morale improves."

How sad.

[nyy1998]

6. Did they really expect to beat Brazil, Portugal, or Ivory Coast?

I don't think the leadership knows anything about soccer. Then again, I don't know think they know much about anything.

[JVS]

7. They beat Guam 21-0 back in 2005.

[nyy1998]

10. My friends pickup soccer team could beat Guam 21-0

[Freetradesucks]

8. They could have tried harder.

They could have tried harder and beat Brazil. This was clearly an attempt to embarrass the dear leader.

[MGB67]

9. I do not see....

that this is a bad way of dealing with failure or even "betrayal". In fact I will go so far as to urge that the United States adopt such measures immediately.

The problem is applying such treatment to a sports team.

The assholes who DO deserve this treatment and national humiliation are the corporate thieves and the rest of the fucking useless parasitical oligarchy.

Our present system of dealing with some bastard who ruined thousands of lives by stealing their retirement is merely to take him outside and slap his peepee..... if that.

Until high crime and fraud carry REAL punishment, we will continue to suffer these pirates and fascists.

The first offense would carry the penalty of the asshole's entire family stripped of home, summer retreats, yachts, cars, cash, jewelry, investments, the right to vote.... EVERYTHING. Then they can go through life with nothing but a shirt and sweat pants and with a scarlet letter "F" branded on their foreheads. It would, of course, be illegal to hire them to do anything but clean toilets in bus depots.