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N. Korea's football team receives heroes' welcome at home
SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's football team received a heroes' welcome after securing a spot in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1966, state media said Sunday.
The North Korean football squad returned home over the weekend after qualifying for the 2010 tournament in South Africa with a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. North Korea's only previous World Cup finals appearance was in England 43 years ago.
Hundreds of people including Yang Hyong-sop, vice head of parliament, party secretary Kim Jung-rin, as well as students and children greeted the football team at Pyongyang's airport Saturday, after which a special banquet was held in Pyongyang to congratulate the players, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
"Sportspersons congratulated players and coaches on their success, putting garlands around their necks and presenting them with bouquets. Pyongyangites turned out to the streets and enthusiastically welcomed the proud sons of the nation," the KCNA said.
North Korea's qualification for the World Cup finals comes as the communist state faces increasing condemnation by the international community following its May 25 nuclear test and test-firing of rockets.
The United Nations Security Council recently agreed on financial and diplomatic sanctions against Pyongyang for defying a U.N. resolution by detonating its second nuclear device.
The North Korean football team was banned from traveling overseas after it lost to archrivals Japan and South Korea in qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup. It also did not compete for the 1998 or 2002 World Cup.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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