He was born and raised in Japan to a South Korean mother . As far as the Korean government is concerned, he is still a South Korean citizen. When he goes to karaoke, he can sing the words to myriad Korean pop songs by heart. Yet, he now plays proudly for a country that he’s never lived in.
He is Jong Tae-Se, the enigmatic star of the World Cup’s most mysterious team: North Korea. Dubbed the “People’s Rooney”—after the sublime English striker—the 26-year old Jong, while one of only three DPRK players to play professionally outside of North Korea, is clearly the best of the bunch. He showed the world his considerable skills on Tuesday during North Korea’s gutsy effort against tournament co-favorite Brazil. Although his side lost the match 2-1, Jong displayed multiple flashes of brilliance, especially when he set up his countryman, Ji Yun-Nam, in the 89th minute for North Korea’s lone goal.
Before the match started, Jong could be seen weeping emotionally during the playing of the North Korean national anthem. So how is it that Jong, a life-long resident of Japan and a holder of a South Korean passport, came to play for the Chollima?
To begin with, his mother, who was a second-generation South Korean (and a South Korean citizen) in Japan, identified herself as North Korean and sent Jong to a North Korean-funded Japanese private school. When he grew older, Jong decided to trade in his South Korean citizenship for a North Korean citizenship, something the Korean government wouldn’t allow, as they do not officially recognize North Korea as a country, nor do they permit dual citizenship. Nevertheless, the Chongryon (the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan), which is essentially DPRK’s embassy in Japan, issued Jong a North Korean passport, making him eligible to play for the DPRK’s national team in international FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.
After this tournament is over, Jong Tae-Se could very well become the world’s second most recognizable North Korean.
-TBY
Photo Credit: Getty Images
