In June 2009, South Korea had qualified for the World Cup (and made the opposition) by the time Iran arrived in Seoul but Park Ji-sung's late strike secured a 1-1 draw. This was the goal North Korea's players celebrated in a hotel in Riyadh before their match against Saudi Arabia.
“Park Ji-sung gave us great help,” DPRK striker Jang Tae-se told me. An interview with the Guardian a few months later. “He gave us a great opportunity. It was very exciting. We knew we only needed a draw and I was confident we could get the job done in Saudi Arabia. It ended 0-0 and the DPRK went to South Africa, and happy in Pyongyang, happy in Seoul.
At the end of a qualifying campaign that produced emotional scenes in Shanghai in 2008 – Korean derbies are always messy affairs – Park and his teammates bowed to the fans in white and received a warm welcome in return. Even the most cynical Chinese journalists in attendance got a little emotional and talked about a similar incident happening between China and Taiwan one day.
Jong's teammate Ahn Yong-hak at the time was playing for Suwon Bluewings, a K-League club owned by Samsung, the epitome of southern capitalism. A few years later, the ever-popular Zhang below the 38th parallel would have three solid seasons with the same club. Of course it wasn't peace and love: the game was played in Shanghai because the North refused to fly the South's flag and play the anthem in Pyongyang, and after a 1-0 defeat in Seoul months later, trenchcoat coach Kim Jong-hun accused the hosts of poisoning his players.
But far from the present situation. It's hard to imagine the two celebrating together in North America in 2026. North Korea played the fourth day of a third-round qualifier on Tuesday, cutting off roads linking the two countries, which are technically still at war since the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953. As symbolic actions go, it reflects how clear and cold relations have become.
Either way, it doesn't look like both “Sollima” and “Daeguk Warriors” are going to make it in 2026. On Tuesday, North Korea went to Kyrgyzstan with two points, a win that would have put them in third place. or fourth place. With the 2026 World Cup expansion to Asia, there are eight automatic berths: six go to the top two teams in each of the three groups and the third and fourth placers advance to the next stage, where two more spots are awarded. But they lost 1-0 and are currently in the last place.
Uzbekistan and Iran moved up to 10 points after defeating the United Arab Emirates and Qatar respectively, with six of the two Gulf nations in third and fourth place.
The North Koreans had a good game but could not count on their superiority, a foot lost against a previously meaningless Kyrgyzstan. With games against the top two teams coming up next month, it's not looking good. Not having a home advantage doesn't help. Pyongyang decided in the previous round that it could not host a match with Japan in March, citing concerns about infectious diseases. Even now, the team plays in Laos. A move to Kim Il Sung Stadium will make the difference.
South Korea are on course for 2026, an 11th consecutive World Cup appearance, bettered only by Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Spain. There are also problems in Seoul, with no warning from FIFA last month about a possible ban after the government asked the Korea FA to unite. In short, the national team is struggling to overcome an unlucky 12 months under Jurgen Klinsmann, which ended with a 2-0 defeat against Jordan in the Asian Cup semi-final in February.
After the newsletter promotion
Without the injured Son Heung-min and 20 minutes later, the injured Hwang Hee-chan, Jordan got some revenge last Thursday. In Asia, Amman is not an easy place to go, but the 2-0 win was clinical. It was followed by a 3-2 win against Iraq. The Reds are three points clear in Group B, ahead of those two teams. Oman, Kuwait and Palestine are competing for the fourth place.
Group C is a bit more complicated. Despite Japan dropping their first points with a 1-1 draw at home against Australia, it is still clear that they have worked very hard to enjoy their underdog position. The Samurai Blue have 10 points, five more than the Socceroos.
China are still fourth, their official target, after a 2-1 win over Indonesia in front of a jubilant crowd in Qingdao. After three defeats, the win doesn't lift Team Dragon from the bottom, but gives a little hope and at times like this, it's sometimes in short supply on and off the pitch.
