Kim Yong-jun Appointed As New Coach of North Korea

North Korea have decided to bring in Kim Yong-jun as the new coach of the national team. The 35-year-old has been appointed as the coach just ahead of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The underdogs have been placed alongside the likes of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Qatar. The first match of the group stages will start in January 8. Prior to the actual tournament, North Korea will be taking part in a string of friendly matches that starts with a game against Vietnam on Christmas Day. This match will serve as the debut game for Kim Yong-jun, who is only 35 years old.

Yet, Kim Yong-jun is someone who knows the North Korean national team extremely well after having been part of the team as a midfielder for an extended period of time. He was part of the North Korean squad that created history by qualifying for the World Cup 2010 and he came on as a substitute in a match against Portugal. When it comes to his club career, Kim Yong-jun has largely been part of the Pyongyang City Sports Club in China. He has also played for the likes of Yanbian FC and Chengdu Blades. After having largely been involved in the youth teams of North Korea, he has been groomed for this role for quite a while.

The 35-year-old began mentoring for the under 16, under 17, and under 23 teams of North Korea from 2013 right up until 2017. It remains to be seen if his extended experience with the youth setup of North Korea will pay its dividends in the actual tournament. North Korea will have limited expectation going into the tournament with other teams in a much better shape. It is also likely that Kim Yong-jun’s position as the national team coach will not be determined on the basis of just one tournament.