Country: North Korea
Key Players: Hong Yong-Jo, Jong Tae-Se, Ahn Young-Hak
Rankings: 105 (FIFA), 78 (SPI)
History: Quarterfinals (1966)
Odds to Win: 2,000-1

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the world’s most oppressive government. Millions have died through actions, both negligent and actively inhumane, of the Kim Jong-Il dictatorship. A resolution in the United Nations accused the North Koreans of “systemic, widespread and grave violations of human rights” including the following:

(a) Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, public executions, extrajudicial and arbitrary detention, the absence of due process and the rule of law, imposition of the death penalty for political reasons, the existence of a large number of prison camps and the extensive use of forced labour;
(b) Sanctions on citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea who have been repatriated from abroad, such as treating their departure as treason leading to punishments of internment, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or the death penalty;
(c) All-pervasive and severe restrictions on the freedoms of thought, conscience, religion, opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and association and on access of everyone to information, and limitations imposed on every person who wishes to move freely within the country and travel abroad;
(d) Continued violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women, in particular the trafficking of women for prostitution or forced marriage, ethnically motivated forced abortions, including by labour-inducing injection or natural delivery, as well as infanticide of children of repatriated mothers, including in police detention centres and labour-training camps;

It’s unclear what would motivate FIFA to ban a country, but it’s hard to find a more compelling case.

Japanese Imports: Shockingly, the North Korean system is not conducive to developing world-class soccer players. Just one native North Korean, captain Hong Yong-Jo, plays outside the DPR Korea League. The solution was to import expats. The Dear Leader graciously invited J League players Ahn Young-Hak and Jong Tae-Se, descendants of Koreans forcibly relocated during the Japanese occupation to play for the mother country. Ryang Yong Gi had featured for North Korea recently, but was not selected for the final team.

Cunning: The North Koreans thought they could game the system. They registered striker Kim Myong-Won as their third goalkeeper, believing they could sneak an extra outfield player into the team. FIFA caught on. Kim can play in the World Cup, but only as a goalkeeper.

Form: The North Koreans’ sturdy defense took them to the World Cup. They allowed only five goals in 14 qualifying matches during the final two rounds of qualifying. They lost only two games, 2-1 away to Iran and 1-0 away to South Korea. In their first FIFA-date friendly against A-squads of the year, North Korea drew 2-2 against Greece.

Tactics: Not surprisingly, the North Koreans are secretive. They seldom play friendlies against reputable countries. There is no media that keeps tabs on them. The consensus is that they will be super defensive, playing basically a 5-3-2 formation. They will be well disciplined. They should also be better fit and better prepared than other teams, as they have been in a training camp for months getting ready.

Squad: The lineup that started against Greece should be the starting squad at the tournament. Ri Myong-Guk, who had ten shutouts in qualifying, will be in goal. The three central defenders will be Nam Song-Choi, Ri Kwang-Chon and Pak Chol-Jin. Ji Yun-Nam will play left back and Cha Jong-Hyok will play right back.

Japanese import An Young-Hak will be a central defensive midfielder joined Pak Nam-Choi on the left and Mun In-Guk on the right. The Asian Wayne Rooney Jong Tae-Se will start up front for North Korea. He has scored 14 times in 21 appearances for North Korea, including a brace in the Greece friendly. FC Rostov striker and captain Hong Yong-Jo will join him.

Prediction: There are teams in the World Cup North Korea could trouble. Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast are probably not among them. A draw against the Portuguese or Ivorians is probably the best North Korea can hope for. If they can get one, it may determine which of those two advances.

(Photo via Edward N. Johnson, US Army)

Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece
Group C: England, United States, Slovenia, Algeria
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile