North Korea coach, too candid for comfort: "Japan goal was not a refereeing error"... Also criticizes aggressive play as "wrong approach" [Aichi Nagoya Asian Games]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Jong-sung, coach of the North Korea men's national football team that lost to Japan at the Asian Games, gave an unvarnished assessment of the team's internal atmosphere and strength.

The Japanese media outlet "Number Web" reported extensively on the 4th about an interview with Kim Jong-sung, who accompanied the North Korea national team as a coach for this tournament. Coach Kim, a Zong련-affiliated Korean resident in Japan who is a former J-League manager, has deep roots in the Japanese football world, and it appears he was able to have a barrier-free, in-depth conversation with Japanese media at this tournament.

North Korea lost 0-1 to Japan in the quarterfinals of the men's football event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 26th of last month at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

According to the report by the outlet, Coach Kim Jong-sung firmly acknowledged the skill level of Japanese football. He commented, "Japan is the Yokozuna (grand champion) of Asia that completely dominates technically, and may be superior to South Korea." However, he explained that there was no particular hostility or burden in facing Japan, and that they approached any opponent with the same motivation.

He also conveyed the changed atmosphere within the North Korean delegation. The outlet highlighted the softened team culture of the young North Korean players of the smartphone generation, noting that Coach Kim Jong-sung said, "In the past, when we lost, it was an atmosphere where we couldn't even have a conversation, with people asking 'Can you swallow your rice?' But now, we have conversations even at meal times after a defeat."

Regarding the match content, praise and regret were mixed. Coach Kim Jong-sung evaluated that North Korea outperformed Japan in duels, support, and transitions between attack and defense, and maintained their stamina until the end. However, he pointed to the difference in finishing ability as the cause of defeat, stating, "There were only two decisive chances, and the Japanese defense was excellent."

He also maintained a cool-headed perspective on the refereeing controversy surrounding Japan's winning goal in the 39th minute of the first half. At the time, North Korea manager Ri Kwang-chon expressed dissatisfaction with the referee's decision, and the players refused to resume the match for three minutes. However, Coach Kim pointed out through the media, "There was dissatisfaction within the team, but it cannot be called a refereeing error. The defense should have cleared the ball before it bounced."

The story behind the handshake with Japanese manager Oiwa Ko, which took place in the midst of the North Korean players' refusal to line up (the act of ignoring the custom where players from both teams stand in a line and greet each other after the match ends) immediately after the final whistle, was also revealed. The outlet reported that Manager Oiwa approached Coach Kim even amidst the confusion and asked for a handshake saying, "I'm late to greet you," and that Coach Kim responded, "There was no reason to refuse an outstretched hand."

Furthermore, Coach Kim Jong-sung also expressed his conviction that "the way of giving pep talks was wrong" regarding the aggressive behavior shown by North Korean players in past international tournaments.

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*This content was translated by AI.