Kim Jong-un met with players from the NaeGohyang FC women's football team in Pyongyang on June 2, 2024 [1].
The meeting underscores the importance the North Korean leadership places on international sporting success as a tool for national prestige. By publicly honoring the athletes, the state reinforces the link between athletic achievement and loyalty to the regime.
NaeGohyang FC arrived at the meeting following their victory in the Asian Women’s Champions League, which took place in May 2024 [2]. The event served as a formal congratulations from the leader to the squad for their performance in the tournament.
During the encounter, the players were emotional. Several athletes were seen in tears while interacting with the leader, a common occurrence in state-media depictions of meetings between citizens and the head of state.
The North Korean government frequently uses such high-profile meetings to showcase the success of its domestic programs. The victory in the Asian Women’s Champions League [2] provides a rare point of international sporting success for the country on a continental scale.
Official reports of the event focused on the emotional response of the players and the praise delivered by Kim Jong-un. The meeting took place in the capital city of Pyongyang [1], where the team was received as national heroes.
“Kim Jong-un met with players from the NaeGohyang FC women's football team in Pyongyang.”
The public display of emotion from the NaeGohyang FC players is a characteristic element of North Korean state narratives, where gratitude toward the leader is performed as a civic duty. This meeting serves to legitimize the state's investment in sports by tying a tangible international victory to the leadership's guidance.
