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Although politically North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of
Korea) is surrounded in controversy, like most other Asian countries it
boasts a national football squad - known as the Korea DPR national
football team - which it enters in international competitions. For
instance, in 1964 the Korea DPR national football team
qualified for the Summer Olympics football tournament before it was
withdrawn, presumably for political reasons. In 1966, the team
qualified for the 1966 World Cup where it caused a major upset by
progressing to the quarter-finals where it faced Portugal. But despite
being 3-0 ahead, the North Korean national football team ended up
losing the match 5-3.
In 1976 North Korea went on to reach the quarter-finals of the Summer
Olympics football tournament, and in 1978 took home gold medals in the
Asian Games football tournament. That same year, again presumably for
political reasons, the Korea DPR national football team was withdrawn
from the FIFA World Cup. And between then and now, the squad has either
not qualified or been withdrawn from the prestigious football
tournament. But in 2009, a new, highly motivated North Korean side
emerged that surprised many in the footballing world by succeeding in
qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The Korea DPR national football team has also qualified for the AFC
Asian Cup three times, in 1980 (where it came fourth), in 1992 and
ahead of 2011. The squad is made up of native North Koreans as well as
Japanese-born 'Zainichi Koreans'. Kim Jong-Hun is currently the head
coach of the team.
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