North Korea's football senseless act of 'all-time atrocities' surprised the world "Mystery country... "I've never seen anything like this before." What happened

*This content was translated by AI.

The North Korean women's national soccer team has committed an unprecedented boycott of surrounding the referee and refusing to play on the Asian Cup stage, as well as a murder tackle that tramples on the opponent's knee. Media around the world have been criticizing North Korea for its indecent behavior outside of common sense, calling it a "bizarre atrocity of a mysterious country."

The British media 'Guardian' reported on the 12th (Korea time), "North Korean players surrounded the referee against China and protested roughly. He even protested in front of the bench, refusing to return to the ground for about five minutes, he said. "When the crowd booed and the situation did not calm down, the referee gave a warning to North Korean coach Lee Sung-ho and forced him to blow the whistle at the end of the first half even though there was extra time left."

The incident occurred in the third Group B match of the 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup at Western Sydney Stadium in Sydney, Australia, on the 9th. In the extra time of the first half when the score was 1-1, North Korean players exploded in groups when China's Wang Shuang's come-from-behind goal was recognized after VAR. The Guardian even pointed out that "it was a farce itself."

Violent play went too far. Three minutes into the game, Kim Sung-kyung hit Chinese Xiao Ji-chin's knee with his sole, and he was even seen hitting the opponent with his elbow. French media 'AFP' raged that it was a "malicious act that violated the spirit of sports." Chinese media 'Sohu Dotcom' demanded AFC to take disciplinary action afterwards, saying, "It was a cruel foul, which is naturally a feeling of being sent off."

Foreign media pointed out that North Korea's behavior is nothing new. In particular, the Australian media "The Age" shed light on North Korean soccer's violent tactics and uncovered past atrocities. In the 2006 Asian Cup, North Korean goalkeeper Han Hye-young, who was dissatisfied with the decision, was suspended for a year for kicking the referee in the back. Kate Gill, a former Australian national team member at the time, recalled, "When the North Korean coaches threw water bottles, the Chinese crowd threw water bottles and became a mess. I've never seen anything like this before." In a friendly match with Australia in 2010, he protested the penalty decision and caused a skit in which he left the stadium without permission for 10 minutes under the direction of the coach.

"North Korea is a mysterious country, but their bizarre tactics remain," Australian national team captain Sam Kerr said. "North Korea is aggressive and does not do anything. Australia will lose if it does not prepare for the game with the feeling of going to the battlefield." Gil also said, "North Korean players act mechanically under the direction of the coaches under the government's surveillance," adding, "It is an act of a closed system that individual players cannot reject."

North Korea, which lost to China 1-2 in the final group match and was pushed to second place in the group, will play a single quarterfinal match against host Australia at 7 p.m. on the 13th.

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*This content was translated by AI.