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North Korean team shamed in six-hour public inquiry

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E-man:
North Korea probed over claims World Cup flops were tortured after early exit from tournament
By Mail Foreign Service

Fifa has launched an investigation into allegations that the North Korean World Cup coach and players were punished by the government after they lost all three of their games in the tournament in South Africa.

Last month, Radio Free Asia said that the Korean squad, apart from two foreign-based players, were subjected to 'harsh ideological criticism' after their team conceded the most goals of all 32 at the tournament.

Their coach Kim Jong-hun was also publicly humiliated and sentenced to hard labour for their performance.
Tortured? The North Korea team, pictured before their game against Ivory Coast, were publicly humiliated after their exit from the World Cup

Tortured? The North Korea team, pictured before their game against Ivory Coast, were publicly humiliated after their exit from the World Cup
Punished: North Korea coach Kim Jong-Hun consoles one of his players after they went out of the World Cup

Punished: North Korea coach Kim Jong-Hun consoles one of his players after they went out of the World Cup

Fifa's president said a letter had been sent to North Korea's footballing body.

Sepp Blatter said: 'We sent a letter to the football federation to tell us about their election of a new president and to find out if the allegations made by the media that the coach and some players were condemned and punished are true.

'We are doing this as a first step and we will see how they answer.'
Claims: Fifa President Sepp Blatter has announced an investigation into claims the North Korean players were punished for the performances

Claims: Fifa President Sepp Blatter has announced an investigation into claims the North Korean players were punished for the performances

After starting only their second World Cup brightly with a 2-1 defeat to five-times champions Brazil, North Korea were then thrashed 7-0 by Portugal and easily beaten 3-0 by Ivory Coast.

Mr Blatter said the investigation was launched after Fifa executive committee member Chung Mong-joon, from South Korea, provided new information on the issue.

Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hamman, who recently travelled to the secretive communist nation, said he was hopeful the investigation would prove conclusive.

'There was an unconfirmed report that these players have gone through torture or something like that, but I can't confirm that.

'I haven't seen anything with my eyes or heard anything with my ears. Maybe this Fifa investigation can clear the air.'

Mr Blatter, Mr Bin Hammam and Mr Chung were in Singapore to launch the football tournament at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1302110/Claims-North-Korea-World-Cup-squad-tortured-early-exit.html#ixzz0wPmHF5uL

kicker:
Different breed of animal. 

asylumseeker:
First comment: Where does the truth begin and end?

Second comment: the loyalties of several Japan-based Koreans to North Korea (known as "Zainichi Chosenjin") remains a provocative reality that has surprisingly not taken on the sort of traction other disputes of a similar nature have ... well, at least in terms of the global conscience.

A few years ago - when revelations of North Korean kidnappings of Japanese citizens surfaced - this Japanese-based Korean community rode the storm. It's a really interesting historical and political circumstance somewhat akin to the experience of 'stateless persons' ... yet clearly, both of these ballers have identifed their state.

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