No one had seen him for three years. There's fresh news about the North Korean footballer
Han Kwang Song was last observed on the field on August 21, 2020, when he helped the Al-Duhail team clinch the Qatari championship. After that, the North Korean player disappeared from public view, sparking speculation about his location. Finally, the 25-year-old footballer has been found - he recently played a match for his national team.
2:27 PM EST, November 17, 2023
In 2017, Han Kwang Song made history as the first North Korean player to score a goal on any European field. He had a brief stint as a Juventus player before being quickly transferred to the Qatari team Al-Duhail.
He became one of the most financially successful athletes in North Korean history. Han signed a five-year contract valued at $4.6 million.
Ultimately, the club canceled his contract, and it was all due to... the United Nations. The imposed sanctions restrict North Koreans from working abroad. These individuals are not allowed to earn foreign currency out of fear it might fund Pyongyang's nuclear program. Han even signed an agreement pledging not to send any of his earnings back to North Korea.
In January 2021, there were plans to deport Han to Rome. According to the portal nknews.org, it remains unclear whether he has permanently stayed there. This remains a possibility, given that North Korea has imposed stringent border controls due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Finally, after three years, Han has been located. He was spotted in a World Cup qualifier match where North Korea played against Syria. Due to the ongoing civil war in Syria, the match was held at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Han Kwang Song played for 45 minutes in his first match after a long hiatus. His team unfortunately lost 0:1. The match-winning goal was scored by Omar Al-Somah from Syria via a penalty. The next match that North Korea will participate in is scheduled for November 21 at 4:30 AM Eastern Time, against Myanmar and it will be an away game.
