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North Korea to host the World Cup? South Korean football chief bizarrely claims they could co-host the 2030 tournament with their bitter enemies

Chung Mong-gyu has said he believes in the plan despite tensions with the Kim Jong-un's hermit state

CRACKPOT Kim Jong-un’s North Korea may host the 2030 World Cup with an ambitious joint South, China and Japan bid.

South Korea’s football chief Chung Mong-gyu has said he believes in the co-hosting plan, despite tensions with the secretive Communist nation.

North Korea could potentially host the 2030 world cup alongside some Asian neighbours

AP:Associated Press
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North Korea dictator Kim Jong-un is thought to enjoy football

The Korea Herald reports that details have not yet been discussed, but that football bosses in Asia are keen on integrating the secretive nation into their plans.


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Chung told reporters: “If South Korea, North Korea, China and Japan have a discussion, I think we have a good possibility of co-hosting the 2030 Fifa World Cup.”

North Korea is a secretive Communist nation, so how would it react to a major football tournament?

AP:Associated Press
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North Korea is a secretive Communist nation, so how would it react to a major football tournament?

Chung has just won a seat on the Fifa council, becoming the first South Korean since 2001 to get onto the board which makes all the key decisions.

And he added crucially that Fifa president Gianni Infantino is keen on the four nations hosting the major event – but that North Korea will join the bid once the other three agree.

North Korea took part in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

AP:Associated Press
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North Korea took part in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

He added: “If South Korea, China, and Japan decide to stage the World Cup, it can be really appealing to others in terms of financial conditions.

“We have a very attractive football market.”

Kim Jong-un has allegedly become a devoted supporter of Serie A thanks to the impact 18-year-old North Korean Han Kwang-song has made at Cagliari.

Kim is currently a big Serie A and Cagliari fan thanks to young North Korean Han Kwang-song

EPA
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Kim is currently a big Serie A and Cagliari fan thanks to young North Korean Han Kwang-song

The country’s capital Pyongyang has a 114,000 stadium that hosts football matches – while the national side famously played in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, scoring against Brazil in a 2-1 loss.

But aside from World Cup bids, North Korea is perhaps more preoccupied at the moment with its missiles tests and threatening the world with nuclear war.