Hide and seek North Koreans shun media

North Korea cancelled a scheduled World Cup press conference on Friday, just hours after being confronted by rumours that four of their players had defected while in South Africa.

Media were allowed to watch 15 minutes of team training at the Makhupong stadium on the outskirts of Johannesburg, but North Korea players and coaching staff refused to answer questions.

Over 200 journalists were left kicking their heels at the venue amidst allegations of strong-arm tactics from security staff.

Glenn Gordon Watson, a press officer with world governing body FIFA, refused to explain why the media conference had been called off.

Earlier Friday, FIFA denied rumours that four North Korea players listed as no-shows for their match against Brazil had gone missing.

The official teamsheet for the North Koreans’ 2-1 defeat to Brazil on Tuesday listed substitute goalkeeper Kim Myong-Won, An Chol-Hyok, Kim Kyong-Il and Pak Sung-Hyok as “absent”.

“We have no information that the players may have disappeared,” a FIFA spokesman said. “Our liaison officer with North Korea hasn’t signalled anything to us.”

The North Korean team was then expected to explain the mystery at the scheduled press conference ahead of their next match against Portugal in Cape Town on Monday.

An official at the South Korean embassy in Johannesburg said it had not picked up any out-of-the-ordinary movements regarding the North Korean squad.

Media access to the players from one of the world’s most reclusive nations has been extremely restricted since they arrived in South Africa to contest their first World Cup in 44 years.

In their only previous appearance at the finals, at the 1966 tournament in England, they created one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history by beating European giants Italy.