No Tottenham, no foreign punditry: How North Korea broadcasts its own take on English Premier League football

Censorship and Media Control in North Korea

North Korea is renowned for having one of the most heavily censored media landscapes in the world. The government tightly controls all forms of media consumption, ensuring that only state-approved content reaches the public. Foreign content, in particular, is heavily restricted, as the regime seeks to shield its citizens from external influences that could challenge its propaganda and ideological narratives. This blanket of censorship extends to almost every form of media, including television, radio, and the internet. However, there is one notable exception to this rule: football, particularly the English Premier League (EPL), which has managed to carve out a unique space in the heavily controlled media environment of North Korea.

The Unique Status of Football in North Korea

Football, or soccer as it is known in some countries, holds a special place in North Korean culture. The sport gained significant popularity in 1966 when the North Korean national team became the first Asian team to advance from the group stages of the FIFA World Cup. This historic achievement cemented football’s place in the hearts of North Koreans, and it has since been celebrated as a symbol of national pride. Despite the country’s isolation, the EPL has found a foothold in North Korea, with matches being broadcast on Korean Central Television (KCTV), the state-run broadcaster. However, the way the EPL is presented to North Korean audiences is far from conventional, reflecting the broader context of censorship and control.

The English Premier League on North Korean Television

The EPL is one of the few foreign programs that are regularly broadcast on KCTV, but the coverage is highly selective and delayed. According to a report by 38 North, a website analyzing North Korean affairs, the 2023-24 EPL season began airing on KCTV only on January 13, some five months after the season kicked off in August 2023. The first match shown was Ipswich’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool, a game that had taken place on August 17, the opening weekend of the season. This delay is not unusual for EPL coverage in North Korea, where the timing and selection of matches are carefully curated by the state. Moreover, the broadcast of matches is often edited, with the typical 90-minute games condensed into 60 minutes of coverage. Foreign punditry and commentary are entirely absent, further reflecting the state’s control over the narrative.

Selective Omissions and Missing Matches

The selective nature of KCTV’s EPL coverage is evident in the omission of certain clubs and matches. Tottenham, Wolves, and Brentford are conspicuously absent from state TV broadcasts, and the common factor linking these three clubs is the presence of South Korean players in their ranks. Tottenham’s captain, Son Heung-min, is South Korea’s most prominent footballer, and his absence from North Korean screens underscores the broader tensions and rivalry between North and South Korea. Similarly, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) matches featuring South Korean player Lee Kang-in have also been excluded from coverage, with the exception of PSG’s semi-final defeat by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. This selective omission highlights the political underpinnings of North Korea’s media strategy, where even international sports are not immune to ideological filtering.

Audience Reception and the Role of Sports in North Korea

Despite the heavy editing, delays, and selective omissions, football remains a beloved sport in North Korea, and the EPL’s limited coverage is still widely watched and enjoyed. For many North Koreans, international sports coverage provides a rare respite from the constant barrage of propaganda that dominates state television. Unlike other programming, which is explicitly designed to convey regime messages, sports broadcasts offer a glimpse of the outside world, albeit heavily curated. The 38 North report suggests that this unique aspect of sports coverage may make it more palatable and even enjoyable for viewers, who are otherwise subjected to overt and covert messaging in almost every aspect of media. While the coverage is far from comprehensive, it represents one of the few windows to the outside world that North Koreans have access to.

The Broader Implications of North Korea’s Media Strategy

The selective broadcasting of the EPL in North Korea reflects the broader dynamics of media control in the country. By carefully curating the content that reaches its citizens, the regime seeks to maintain its grip on information and narrative. The exclusion of matches involving South Korean players is a clear example of how political considerations influence even seemingly apolitical programming like sports. At the same time, the popularity of football highlights the complexities of cultural consumption in a heavily controlled society. While the regime’s media strategy is designed to insulate North Koreans from external influences, the enduring appeal of the EPL suggests that even in one of the world’s most isolated countries, there is a desire for connection to the global culture. This tension between control and curiosity continues to shape the media landscape in North Korea, offering a unique glimpse into the interplay between propaganda, censorship, and culture in one of the world’s most enigmatic nations.