Women’s Football in the DPRK

Today women’s football is the pride of the Korean people.

It has not so long history in view of the history of development of women’s football of the world.

Women’s football appeared in the DPRK in the mid-1980s.

Korean girls had the first training match in May Juche 75(1986) and the women’s football team of the DPRK participated in different international games from Juche 77(1988).

The 11^th Asian Games in September Juche 79(1990) in Beijing, China, the team defeated its strong rivals, placed the third.

Entering the 21^st century, women football of the DPRK greeted a new heyday.

At the 13^th Asian Women’s Football Championship held in Taipei, China in December Juche 90(2001) the DPRK team defeated the Japanese team, thereby attaining supremacy for the first time in Asia in the new century.

Korean girls feeling sky-high won international games one after another.

In Juche 91(2002) the DPRK team came first at the “Albena Cup” International Women’s Football Game and the women’s football tournament of the 14^th Asian Games.

At the 14^th Asian Women’s Football Championship held in Thailand in June Juche 92(2003) it defeated the Chinese, Japanese and all other strong teams of Asia, thereby winning the Asian Championship twice on end.

It bagged gold medals again at the women’s football tournament of the 15^th Asian Games in Juche 95(2006), the 22^nd and 24^th World Universiads and the 4^th Military World Games, the Asian Young Women’s Football Championship and the Asian Women’s Junior Football Championship.

The DPRK team won the title at the 3^rd FIFA U-20 Women’s Championship in Russia in Juche 95(2006).

Participating in the World Young Women’s Football Championship for the first time, Korean girl footballers of our new generation defeated the German team, the first winner candidate, and French and Brazilian teams and won the finals by 5 to 0 the Chinese team.

The world people admired the eventful success, saying “A new football superpower appeared.”, “Korea does only eye-opening work.”, “The team strong in speed and fighting spirit as well as in mental power”

In Juche 97(2008) Korean young girls defeated the U.S. team in New Zealand and came first at the World Women’s Junior Football Championship, the first of its kind in history.

The world spoke highly of the success, again.

“The DPRK team appeared as a new giant in the world women’s football circles.”

Like this, the women’s football of the DPRK is attracting the attention of the world and making a steady progress.

What is the source of the miracle?

It was the trust of leader Kim Jong Il who encouraged the players to add glory to the country at all international games and, when they won, was pleased more than anybody else and honoured them greatly.

Under his care the DPRK women’s football team attained supremacy of the Asian football on three occasions.

When Korean girls bagged gold medal at the East Asian Cup Women’s Football Game in Juche 102(2013), the respected Marshal Kim Jong Un posed for a photograph with them in congratulation of their success.

In Juche 103(2014) he gave guidance to an inspection match of women footballers of the state combined team due to take part in the 17^th Asian Games.

In Juche 103(2014) the women’s football of the DPRK could come first at the 17^th Asian Games and fly a flag of the Republic thanks to the energetic guidance of Marshal Kim Jong Un who carries forward the noble intention of leader Kim Jong Il.

Today the Korean party and state express great expectation and concern to women’s football.

The women footballers of the DPRK are putting spurs to training, filled with confidence in successful international games.