North Korean Infiltrates Japanese Representative Team

[Mulboyne]

[floatr][/floatr]Watching the tense, competitive matches between Japan and Korea at the World Baseball Classic, you'd be forgiven for thinking that national differences would forever keep the two countries at each others throats in sporting contests. So it was interesting to see that one of the members of the Japanese rugby sevens squad competing in the current international tournament is 24 year old winger Kilryong So, nicknamed "Bunta". Born in Nagoya, So is a zainichi Korean who attended a local Chongryon high school before going on to Korea University in Tokyo. Also operated by Chongryon, it is the only pro-Pyongyang institute of higher education in Japan but does have an active rugby team where So made his mark. He subsequently became the first graduate from the University to be taken on by a major professional team and now plays for Yamaha Jubilo in the Top League. He was first selected for the national sevens squad in 2008 and just featured in this weekend's competition in Adelaide where Australian commentators constantly referred to him as "the North Korean" which inevitably meant that his speed was described as "explosive". It's worthy of note that So uses his Korean name because zainichi Korean sports stars typically use their Japanese names. One major exception would be the J League players who also play for the North Korean national team. It's unclear whether So himself has a North Korean passport - many young Chongyron members these days prefer to apply for South Korean passports - but he did face immigration issues when he travelled to the US with the Japanese squad.

[Mike Oxlong]

http://www.djacobsonlaw.com/2009/03/japanese-trading-company-suspected-of_02.html