Kim shown at sports match

Source: Agencies  |   2008-11-3  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE Democratic People's Republic of Korea released a photograph yesterday showing leader Kim Jong Il smiling and watching a soccer match.

Kim, 66, reportedly suffered a stroke and underwent brain surgery in August. But the DPRK has denied he is ill.

Yesterday afternoon, DPRK state television showed an undated still photo of Kim watching a soccer match between two army-affiliated teams.

The photo shows Kim sitting with other people in what appears to be a viewing stand. Kim is shown smiling, wearing his trademark sunglasses with a brown jacket and black pants.

The DPRK's TV broadcast 13 other shots showing Kim in the same clothes talking with people near a field, although no soccer players are seen. The rest of the photos show standalone scenes of a soccer match near a small hill with trees showing autumn foliage.

An unidentified DPRK anchorwoman said Kim attended the soccer match between the Mangyongbong and Jebi teams of the Korean People's Army with top military officers and Workers' Party officials. She did not say when and where the game was played.

Kim expressed "great satisfaction over a high level of the game played by them" and praised the army for leading the country's "songun," or "military first" policy, the anchorwoman said.

According to the report, Kim emphasized the importance of developing sports in augmenting the might of the country and boosting friendly relations with other nations.

Mangyongbong defeated Jebi 3-1, the report said.