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DPRK’s womens team takes gold in Asian Games

Thursday, December 14th, 2006

Joong Ang Daily
12/15/2006

North Korean women down Japan for gold

North Korea retained the Asian Games women’s soccer title early yesterday with a 4-2 penalty kick shootout win over Japan.

The defending champions, Asia’s highest-ranked team, enjoyed the better chances throughout the match and held their nerve at the end with goalkeeper Jon Myong-hui saving two Japan kicks.

North Korea scored all of its penalty kick chances as Ri Kum-suk, Ri Un-gyong, Ho Sun-hui and Jong Pok-sim all found the net.

Despite the victory North Korean coach Kim Kwang-min said his club should have gotten it done in regulation.

“Although we are similar physically we are better players,” said Kim. “I told them to be aggressive from the start and we should have won in 90 minutes. I am not overly satisfied with the performance.”

The first half of the game saw both teams cancel each other out, but North Korea almost broke through in the first half.

It took a flying save from Japan ese goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto to deny North Korea’s top scorer, Ri Kum-suk, from finding the net with a sharp, downward header.

At the one-hour mark, Song Jong-sun turned smartly and unleashed a fierce left-footed shot which just sailed past Fukumoto’s left hand.

Kim Kyong-haw then teed up Ho Sun Hui, who shot straight at Fukumoto.

Eriko Arakawa then set up Japan’s best chance of the game in the 72nd minute when she turned inside two defenders, drew the goalkeeper out and released the ball into the path of Shinobu Ohno, who was unable to steer the ball home.

Ri Kum-suk then squandered a late chance to settle the tie in normal time, heading just inches wide at the far post.

Fukumoto twice rescued Japan in extra-time, once even having to keep out a misdirected header from teammate Kozue Ando.

Ohno then gave the North Koreans a major scare when she had the ball in the back of the net with a volley finish five minutes from the end of the first period of extra time.

But it was controversially ruled out for offsides and the match went to the penalty shootout.

Posted in Football (soccer), Qatar | Comments Closed

North Korea’s Women’s soccer team makes the finals in 2006 Asian Games

Sunday, December 10th, 2006

Yonhap
12/10/2006

N. Korea reaches the gold medal match after sinking China 3-1 in semifinals

North Korea showed it was far and above the favorite to win gold in women’s football by coming from behind to beat China 3-1 in the semifinal match of the Asian Games on Sunday.

The North Koreans, who are currently seventh in FIFA’s global ranking, clearly outperformed eighth-ranked China throughout the match, with missed opportunities and bad luck preventing the game from being settled in regulation time.

The defending Asiad champions got off to a rocky start when they surrendered a goal in the 10th minute of play when Wang Dandan put China up on the scoreboard 1-0.

North Korean goalie Jon Myong-hui failed to secure a cross from Weng Xinzhi that fell in front of Wang who tapped it into the net.

The goal, however, galvanized the North Koreans into action, with its players dominating the other side in both ball possession and shots and after several threatening moves, the North equalized with a deflected ball by the Chinese goalkeeper that Kil Son-hui returned to the net in the 21st minute.

The two sides went into halftime tied 1-1 and were unable to break the deadlock in the second half despite better chances for the North.

In overtime, the North’s domination of the pitch paid off with a left-footed shot by Ri Kum-suk in the 94th minute of play and another by Ri Un-gyong 5 minutes later. Ri is rated one of the top-20 players in the world.

The North Koreans could have made it 4-1 when the Chinese goalie intentionally grabbed Kil to prevent the North Korean from passing her. This resulted in the expulsion of the goalkeeper and a Chinese team struggling for the rest of the lopsided match.

Following the match, North Korean coach Kim Kwang-min said the match was a sort of payback for his side’s defeat in July at the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Asian Cup held in Australia.

“This time our players were in good mental health and spirit,” he said, expressing satisfaction with the outcome of the match.

The North Koreans will take on Japan in the finals scheduled for Wednesday, with Japan unlikely to pose a serious threat to the defending Asian champions. The Japanese side has never won the Asian gold in women’s football, having won bronze in both Bangkok and Busan in 1998 and 2002.

Posted in Football (soccer) | Comments Closed

Golf in the DPRK

Friday, December 8th, 2006

Daily NK
12/8/2006
Yang Jung A

While golf equipment was amongst the list of banned luxury goods the U.S. government announced recently, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on the 6th that golf is a symbol of luxurious pleasure that only the elite in North Korea can experience.

Citing from a Pyongyang report by an Agence France-Presse correspondent, RFA revealed “The main golf course in North Korea is “Pyongyang Golf Course” with about 100 members, which in reality are all officials of Chosun Workers’ Party” and “Annual membership paid by the member amounts to $10,000.”

The correspondent said “This is a figure the average North Korean citizen could not even dream as an expense” and “The golf course in North Korea is a symbol of luxurious pleasure only experienced by authority officials or the elite.”

In the vicinity of Lake Taesung in Yongkang-gun, Nampo 38km from Pyongyang is “Pyongyang Golf Course,” equipped with a complete 18 hole course and ample enough to host an international golf tournament. The course was established in ’87 in celebration of Kim Il Song’s 75th birthday, sponsored by the Jochongnyeon, the pro-North Korean residents’ league in Japan.

Although it is said that a golf course exists within the grounds of Kim Il Sung’s Mountain Myohang villa and Ryongsung resort, the only golf course open to the public is ‘Pyongyang Golf Course.’ Mountain Myohang golf course is located in a valley 1.5km from Hyangsan Hotel, whereas Ryongsung golf course is situated 20 min by car from Pyongyang.

There are also mini courses, such as Yangkakdo golf course and Pyongyang golf practice range, Nampo Wawoodo golf course (9 holes). With investments by South Korean business, more golf courses are being constructed in areas such as Mt. Geumgang.

However, these golf courses are mainly accommodated to foreigners and excluding the elitist class, common people in possession of foreign currency such as Korean born Japanese or foreigners with blood-relatives are also using the courses.

Golf is one of Kim Jong Il’s favorite pastimes. In a book written by Fujimoto Kenji, once Kim Jong Il’s personal cook, Fujimoto wrote of his times at a golf course with Kim Jong Il at his villa.

At the golf course Fujimoto visited with Kim Jong Il, Kim asked Fujimoto ‘Compared to all the other places in the world, what do you think about the golf courses in North Korea?’ That day, when Kim Jong Il visited the golf course was October 6th and categorized a public holiday as a ‘The day Kim Jong Il visited.’

One time, North Korean mass media announced that at Kim Jong Il’s first time round of golf in `94, he scored an “eagle” followed by five “hold in ones,” recording a total score of 34. This only incited laughter from the international community.

If he had made 34 hit shots in a round of 18 holes, based on a game of par 72, this would mean he is 38 under. Even if a golf angel happened to come from the heavens, this would be impossible. While deifying Kim Jong Il and having no knowledge of golfing rules, media officials only made the situation into a laughing comedy.

In response, the New York Times sarcastically commented, that if the reports by North Korean media was true, Kim Jong Il should be selected as the “World’s number one golfer” as even professional golf competitors find it difficult to claim a hole a one in a lifetime.

Posted in Chongryun, Golf, Sports | 1 Comment »

United Korean Olymic team by 2014

Monday, October 2nd, 2006

From Reuters:
Two Koreas to compete as one by 2014 Games
10/2/2006

North and South Korea are expected to compete as a joint team by the 2014 Winter Olympics, a top official of the South Korean city that is bidding for the games said on Monday.

The two Koreas have long tried to put together a unified team for the Olympics and have been in talks to form one for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, but those discussions have been marred by political and other problems.

“We are planning on having a joint team by the time of the 2014 Games,” said Bahng Jae-heung, secretary-general of the Pyeongchang bid committee.

“At this time, we are taking it for granted that there will be a joint team,” he told Reuters in the Pyeongchang mountain resort.

In September, the International Olympic Committee brought officials from the team Koreas together in Switzerland to help get their talks back on track for forming a joint team.

North Korea had suspended several cooperation projects with the South, including discussions on a joint Olympic team, in anger over Seoul’s decision to suspend regular food aid after the North defied international warnings and test-fired seven missiles in July.

Bahng said the Pyeongchang bid committee does not expect to co-host events with the North if the rustic mountain town about 200 km (120 miles) east of Seoul wins the Games because of Olympic rules and the distance to the North.

North and South Korea agreed to send a combined team to the Beijing games in November 2005, but have since failed to overcome differences about how it should be selected.

Pyongyang wants equal representation of athletes from the North and South, while Seoul says selection should be on merit to create the most competitive team possible.

South Korea has a larger population and better funded sport associations than its northern neighbour.

Still technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended without a peace treaty, North and South Korea first considered competing as a joint team at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, but years of acrimony and military tensions have prevented the idea from coming to pass.

North and South Korea have marched together at past Olympics, including this year’s Winter Games in Turin, but competed as separate teams.

Posted in Sports | Comments Closed

Firms Blast North’s Business Climate

Tuesday, September 5th, 2006

From the Donga:
9/5/2006

“Problems can arise anytime you do business in North Korea since there is no market order. However, when business partners disregard agreed-upon deals, it is impossible to conduct any new business. Someone who betrays others can always betray me. Now, who will be willing to trust North Korea and make new deals with it?”

Upon hearing the news report yesterday that North Korea sold the rights to build a large-scale resort including a golf course within the Gaesong Industrial Complex to South Korean real estate developer Unico, despite the fact that Hyundai Group currently holds the rights, one executive of a large company was assured that North Korea was not a trustworthy investment partner.

“If the South Korean government fails to have a control over ‘lawless’ North Korea, the entire business with North Korea can fall into a crisis,” he worried.

During the Kim Dae-jung administration, Hyundai Group began its North Korean business led by then-chairman Chung Ju-yung. It has invested more than $1 billion in North Korea, including $450 million (about 510 billion won by then exchange rate) illegally transferred to the North as a price for holding the inter-Korean summit in 2000. In the process, the company had to go through a major management crisis and the tragedy of Chairman Chung Mong-hun’s suicide.

At such a great cost, Hyundai earned from the North “seven business rights,” which include the rights to provide electricity, railway, tourism, and a dam. With regards to the 3-phase Gaesong Industrial Complex project, it obtained a certificate with which it is allowed to use the land for 50 years.

Nevertheless, Hyundai is gradually being excluded in North Korean businesses except for the existing Geumgang Mountain tour and the first-phase Gaesong Industrial Complex development. There are even rumors that North Korea is in the final stages of negotiation with Lotte Tours over tourism business in Gaesong and Baekdu Mountain, excluding Hyundai that has the business rights in those areas.

Now that North Korea is found to have sold the rights to use 1.4 million-pyeong of land in Gaesong to Unico at the price of $40 million, there is a greater sense of crisis in Hyundai.

It is needless to say that North Korea bears the largest responsibility for the recent trouble.

However, some point out that the South Korean government has been too lukewarm in its response to the problems with the North, out of fear that inter-Korean relations might suffer. They argue that such an attitude only encourages North Korea’s “derailment.”

“Hyundai Asan’s deal with the North over the second and third phases of the Gaesong Industrial Complex development and Unico’s deal with the North can cause overlaps or conflicts. Thus, the companies will have to negotiate over the matter,” said Goh Gyeong-bin, director-general of the Social and Cultural Exchanges Bureau at the Unification Ministry, yesterday when the news on Unico’s North Korea deal was reported.

“The Ministry of Unification never approved Hyundai Asan of its North Korea business to build a golf course in Gaesong. I believe a double deal is possible here just like it is in the private area,” he added.

This implies that the extraordinary business of inter-Korean economic cooperation is being recognized as an ordinary area of private autonomy where private business partners must resolve problems through self-negotiations.

However, everyone knows that Hyundai’s North Korea business did not start out as a mere private business activity. “The government has drawn no clear line in North Korean business, allowing companies to recklessly engage in such business only to encourage North Korea to develop bad habits,” one executive of an economic organization pointed out.

“In order to effectively manage business deals with unpredictable North Korea, the South Korean government must provide clear trade rules and guidelines. Considering the extraordinary nature of North Korean business, relying on the private sector’s autonomy will only extend uncertainties,” professor Hong Ki-taek of ChungAng University emphasized.

Posted in Economic reform, Golf, Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC), Mt. Kumgang Tourist Special Zone, South Korea, Sports, Tourism | Comments Closed

Kaesong golf course under consideration

Tuesday, September 5th, 2006

From the Joong Ang Daily:

Kaesong golf course under consideration
9/5/2006

North Korea is in talks with a South Korean company other than Hyundai Asan Corp. for a golf course business in Kaesong, the Unification Ministry said yesterday.

Hyundai Asan, a Hyundai Group affiliate, holds an exclusive right to do business in North Korea.

According to the ministry, Unico, a real estate developer based in Daegu, signed an agreement with North Korea’s Asia Pacific Peace Committee to rent two sites near Kaesong Industrial Complex to build golf courses.

Under the contract, the North Korean committee will lease the two sites, one in the southwest and the other in the north, for $40 million over the next five decades.

Along with the golf courses, Unico plans to establish hotels and other entertainment facilities, said the ministry.

However, the same sites are part of the 16,337 acres of land that Hyundai Asan was allowed to use after reaching an accord with the North in 2000. The Korean company is in the middle of building an industrial complex on 816 acres.

Building golf courses on the sites Unico made a deal on was on Hyundai’s agenda for next year.

“The right to run a golf course business there belongs to us, as we forged the contract first,” said a senior executive from Hyundai Asan.

The company began consultations with Unico yesterday over the golf courses in the North, according to the source.

“If Unico comes up with an appropriate business proposal, we can let the company be a business partner,” he added.

A high-ranking manager from Unico said the company pushed ahead with the project as North Korea explained Hyundai Asan has the right to businesses in Kaesong Industrial Complex only.

The Unification Ministry said it would consider approving the golf course business in North Korea only if North Korea, Hyundai Asan and Unico reach a compromise.

Posted in Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, DPRK organizations, Golf, Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC), South Korea | 2 Comments »

DPRK population statistics

Friday, August 18th, 2006

The Daily NK compared pupoluation statistics from the Population Resource Bureau.

Here are the statistics on North Korea.

Here are the statistics on South Korea.

Here is the story:

North Korea’s infant mortality reaches 21 for every 1000 due to the country’s poor medical system.

A non-profit demographic institute Population Research Bureau (PRB) reported on Thursday that, as of mid-2006, North Korea’s population is approximately 23.1 million and it is expected to increase to 25.8 million in 2025 and 26.4 million, an increase of 14% from now, in 2050.

North Korea’s birth rate is 16 per 1000 people and death rate is 7 for every thousand, and the natural population increase is 0.9%.

North Korea’s infant mortality (21 for every 1000), which is far higher than that of South Korea (5 for every 1000), implies the North’s weak health care system. The average life expectancy is 71 years, 68 for men and 73 for women. Urban population rate is 60 percent.

According to the report, this year’s world population is 6.55 billion and expected to reach 7.94 billion in 2025 and 9.24 billion, 41 percent more than now, in 2050.

Meanwhile, the primary reason for North Korean infants’ death is respiratory infection and diarrhea. And a third of total North Korean infants are suffering serious malnutrition.

Posted in Civil society, Health care, Pediatrics, Sports | Comments Closed

Arirang 2006 cancelled

Saturday, July 29th, 2006

from the BBC:

N Korea cancels gymnastics gala

North Korea has cancelled a massive festival featuring thousands of gymnasts, soldiers and performers because of flooding earlier this month.

The two-month long Arirang festival has in the past been popular with western tourists and visitors from South Korea.

The event features spectacular synchronised acrobatic displays and is seen by Pyongyang as a way of boosting leader Kim Jong-il’s popularity.

Floods in North Korea this month killed more than 100 people.

According to the UN’s food agency, some 60,000 people were left homeless by the floods, which followed torrential rains.

Strained relations

Han Song Ryol, a North Korean envoy to the United Nations, told the Associated Press news agency the festival had been “cancelled due to flood damages”.

He did not say whether the event would be rescheduled.

Pyongyang had planned to invite up to 600 tourists every day from South Korea to see the festival, South Korean news agency Yonhap reports.

The agency said South Korean officials were concerned that the cancellation of the festival could lead to contacts between the two Koreas being curtailed.

Relations between the two countries are already strained over Pyongyang’s recent decision to test new, long-range missiles, ending a self-imposed moratorium on such tests.

Froom Joong Ang Daily:

Citing flooding, North pushes back a festival
July 31, 2006

The North Korean Arirang festival, which was to have begun on Aug. 15, was postponed until next spring, according to the president of the Korean American National Coordinating Council. Rain damage in North Korea was cited as the reason for the delay.

Yoon Kil-sang, the president of the council, posted the postponement announcement Friday (in the United States) on Minjok, an Internet news site there. He said he was notified by the North Korean mission to the United Nations of the postponement.

But South Korean groups said they knew nothing of the change of plans. An official at the South Korean committee preparing for a joint celebration of Liberation Day, Aug. 15, said the committee had not been told.

“In order to prepare for the Arirang festival, working-level meetings should have been nearly finished, but we have not heard from the North,” the official said.

Despite the recent North Korean missile test salvo, Seoul said last week that it would allow a private South Korean delegation to participate in the holiday commemoration and the festival.

Chosun Shinbo, published by a pro-Pyongyang group in Japan, reported on Friday that an area where the festival was to be held was hit hard by recent flooding. It said 1,200 trees were down and roads had been destroyed.

The Arirang Festival, which was first held in 2002, is a patriotic festival praising the country’s leaders and system using phalanxes of people with flash cards, dances and circus shows. Last year, in its second staging, 7,000 South Koreans attended. The festival was originally scheduled to run from mid-August to mid-October.

Separately, in a relatively rare admission of problems in paradise, the Chosun Shinbo also reported in detail on the flood damage in the North. Reportedly, the Pyongan provinces near Pyongyang were hit hard, with 10,000 people affected by floods and 30 bridges destroyed. North Hwanghae province, the agricultural center for much of the country, also suffered substantial damage, the newspaper reported.

Last week, the United Nations World Food Program estimated that 60,000 North Koreans had been left homeless and 30,000 hectares of farmland were destroyed in the recent flooding.

Kwon Tae-jin, a researcher for the Korea Rural Economic Institute, said yesterday that it took several years for the North to repair damage from a flood in the mid 1990s and that the recent flood was likely to cut into food production substantially. But he said if paddy walls could be rebuilt quickly and quarantine measures taken to prevent the spread of disease, damage could be minimized.

Posted in Agriculture, Mass games, Tourism | Comments Closed

DPRK tops ROK in women’s quarter finals

Monday, July 24th, 2006

Yonhap
7/24/2006

N. Korea advances to semifinals of regional football tournament

The North Korean women’s national football team reached the semifinals of the Asia Football Confederation Women’s Asian Cup as they beat South Korea 1-0 in Adelaide, Australia, on Monday.

The nine-country tournament doubles as an Asian regional qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in China next year. FIFA is world football’s governing body.

Posted in Civil society, Football (soccer) | Comments Closed

ROK allows its citizens to see Arirang this summer

Thursday, July 20th, 2006

From the Joong Ang Daily:

Seoul gives its blessing to view North’s festival

July 21, 2006-The Roh administration said yesterday it would allow a private delegation to participate in North Korea’s celebration of Liberation Day, the August 15 anniversary of Japan’s surrender in 1945. It will also allow South Koreans to attend the annual Arirang Festival that begins the same day and runs for two months.

The festival is widely seen by critics as an extended paean of praise to Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s founder and leader until his death in 1994.

Lee Jong-seok, the unification minister, told a news conference yesterday that non-governmental exchanges such as those for the holiday and the festival would go ahead “according to procedures.” He said no decision had yet been made on whether Seoul would send an official delegation to participate in the North’s Liberation Day rites.

After the press conference, a Unification Ministry official said permission to travel to North Korea would be given to all comers except for those barred by law from traveling there. The latter group once included those convicted of National Security Law violations or those under investigation for alleged violations of that anti-communist statute; now, only those involved in a current criminal investigation of any kind are barred.

Tensions in the region escalated rapidly after North Korea test-fired seven missiles on July 5. Ministerial talks a week later collapsed after Seoul refused to continue providing material aid, and the latest sign of tension came yesterday when Pyong-yang, following through on an earlier threat, told Hyundai Asan to repatriate 150 workers from the construction site at Mount Kumgang for a separated family reunion center.

The work, funded by Seoul, was scheduled to be completed in June 2007 at a cost of 50 billion won ($53 million). North Korea’s Red Cross told its counterpart in the South earlier this week that if rice and fertilizer stopped flowing north, the family reunions could not be held.

The decision to allow civilians to travel for the festivities is in line with Seoul’s expressed intention to keep channels with the North open, but critics said darkly that North Korea was certain to abuse that good will.

At the failed inter-Korean talks last week, Pyongyang demanded that Seoul end its restrictions on where South Koreans in the North can travel. It wanted those visitors to be able to visit what it called “holy places and landmarks,” a reference not to religion but to the cult surrounding Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong-il, his father’s successor as the country’s leader. Those “holy places” include Kumususan Memorial Palace, where Kim Il Sung’s mausoleum is located.

Critics also saw a train wreck, in their view, in North Korea’s contention at the recent Busan ministerial meeting that South Koreans are being protected by North Korea’s “military-first” policy. The Arirang Festival performances in recent years have been heavy in praising that policy, and some of those allegedly “protected,” they say, will be in attendance.

by Lee Young-jong, Ser Myo-ja

Posted in Mass games, South Korea, Tourism | Comments Closed

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