The Disappeared 'Inmin Ronaldo'... "Han Kwang-sung Returned to North Korea Last Month"

North Korean Soccer Star Draws Global Attention with Juventus Transfer
After Qatar Move, Ultimately Expelled Due to Sanctions Against North Korea
Presumed Return to North Korea Following Italy Stay and Border Reopening

Han Kwang-song, a football player who was the first North Korean to score in the Italian professional football scene and earned the nickname "People's Ronaldo," is presumed to have recently returned to North Korea. As his whereabouts became unknown after once joining the world-renowned club Juventus, local U.S. media pursued his trail, and testimony emerged that he returned home when the North Korea-China border opened last month.

According to Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 15th, Marco Bagozzi, a North Korean sports expert in Italy, said, "I recently had the opportunity to talk with Han Kwang-song's close friend in Italy, who confirmed that he left in mid-August." He added, "In particular, Han Kwang-song's Facebook Messenger account has been unavailable and closed since mid-August."

North Korean football player Han Kwang-song. [Image source=Transfermarkt]

Another source reported, "I understand that Han Kwang-song moved to Beijing, China, in mid-last month and then returned to North Korea with North Korean residents." Earlier, as North Korea's border, which had been closed since COVID-19, gradually opened, on the 22nd of last month, a North Korean Air Koryo passenger plane flew from Beijing carrying about 200 North Korean residents back home. Han Kwang-song is also presumed to have returned at that time.

According to acquaintances of Han Kwang-song, including former North Korean national football team coach Jørn Andersen, the last place he resided was Italy. However, Han Kwang-song is known to have cut off contact with those around him after last year.

There is speculation that Han Kwang-song might participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games held at the end of this month, but according to the list of athletes released by the organizing committee, he is not included in the team roster. Considering that North Korean authorities conduct intensive ideological education for several months for workers and officials returning from overseas dispatch, it is expected that Han Kwang-song will find it difficult to appear in international competitions for the time being.

'People's Ronaldo' Hindered by Sanctions Against North Korea

North Korean football player Han Kwang-song. [Image source=Cagliari Calcio]

Born in 1998, Han Kwang-song is a graduate of the Pyongyang International Football School, established by then Chairman of the National Defense Commission Kim Jong-un in 2013 with the goal of nurturing elite football players. Supported by Kim, who emphasizes "sports," and the authorities, he went abroad to study and joined the youth team of Cagliari Calcio in Italy's Serie A in 2017. After being promoted to the professional team and making his official debut, he scored within a week.

Gaining the nickname "People's Ronaldo" and attracting football fans' attention, Han Kwang-song once again drew notice with his fast dribbling during the inter-Korean football match held in Pyongyang in 2019 for the first time in 29 years. He reached the peak of his career with a surprising transfer to the world-famous club Juventus, but was sold to Qatar's football league club Al-Duhail SC just a week later and gradually faded from the spotlight.

What hindered Han Kwang-song's career each time was the sanctions against North Korea due to its nuclear and missile development. After being expelled from Qatar in May 2021 and his whereabouts becoming unknown, CNN in the U.S. reported in July that "Han Kwang-song signed a document stating he would not send money to North Korea under any circumstances, but violated this by illegally sending 80,000 pounds (about 130 million won) monthly to North Korea."

Having been listed on the sanctions list and expelled from Qatar, he is presumed to have stayed in Italy during the COVID-19 period and returned to North Korea through China immediately after the border opened.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.