North Korea

[fried chicken]

The team's coach, Kim Jong-hun, was reportedly forced to become a builder and has been expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea.
The entire squad was forced onto a stage at the People's Palace of Culture and subjected to criticism from Pak Myong-chol, the sports minister, as 400 government officials, students and journalists watched.
The players were subjected to a "grand debate" on July 2 because they failed in their "ideological struggle" to succeed in South Africa, Radio Free Asia and South Korean media reported.

The team's coach, Kim Jong-hun, was reportedly forced to become a builder and has been expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea.
The coach was punished for "betraying" Kim Jong-un - one of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il's sons and heir apparent.
The country, in its first World Cup since 1966, lost all three group games – including a 7-0 defeat to Portugal.
The broadcast of live games had been banned to avoid national embarrassment, but after the spirited 2-1 defeat to Brazil, state television made the Portugal game its first live sports broadcast ever.
Following ideological criticism, the players were then allegedly forced to blame the coach for their defeats.
Only two players avoided the inquisition - Japanese-born Jong Tae-se and An Yong-hak, who flew straight to Japan after the tournament.
However, media in South Korea said the players got off lightly by North Korean standards.
"In the past, North Korean athletes and coaches who performed badly were sent to prison camps," a South Korean intelligence source told the Chosun Ilbo newspaper.

Why on earth is the North Korea even allowed FIFA membership, given their stance on government interference.

[diegomessi]

sad...sad.sad.sad

[barcetia]

what THE fuck?

[Antimilan]

I imagined something like this would happen when I saw their game against Portugal.... and every goal Portugal scored was like an extra bullet in their heart, minding the consequences they would be dealing with.

[Bojan]

Acting under coercion, every player blamed the defeat on coach Kim Jong-hun, who is thought to have been expelled from the ruling Workers Party of Korea and forced to work, unpaid, as a builder

.

[Flavia]

I don't even have words for this... sad.

[XaviMessiGirl]

Felt for them so much during that Portugal match, I knew that type of thing would happen. Really sad, and it doesn't look like something that will change soon. The entire country has such blind faith in their "great leader", is there any type of resistance movement at all? None that I have heard of.

[JCCR_FCB]

Felt for them so much during that Portugal match, I knew that type of thing would happen. Really sad, and it doesn't look like something that will change soon. The entire country has such blind faith in their "great leader", is there any type of resistance movement at all? None that I have heard of.

Who knows? They are probably the most secret country in the planet...

[10Rivaldo]

The entire country has such blind faith in their "great leader"

They don't. It's more like a gigantic concentration camp.

Very sad

[Yellowmustard]

Wow, this is horrible.

[Barca_Catalan_Sky]

This is indeed a very sad story. It reminds me of the story of Andrés Escobar the Columbian footballer who got shot for scoring an own in goal in USA '94.

[dalitis8]

Imagine a punishment like that inflicted on Capello and his Lions....

[VivaBarca]

This is so sad. Why blame it on the coach it wasn't really his fault.

[Beast]

It's not actually the first time , Iraqi national team players endured worse under Saddam regime (torture + prison time ) but FIFA turned a blind eye and will continue to do so with regards to Asian countries .
After all even the Asian FA act like nothing ever happens t

[Cule Angles]

This is so sad. Why blame it on the coach it wasn't really his fault.

Because the illusion of North Korean supremacy has to be maintained, and to do so an explantion has to be given to the people as to why the team failed to demonstrate their superiority on the football pitch against the evil capitalists of the developed world.