Worldscene: For those of us of a certain age and a footballing bent, the name North Korea tends to conjure up images not so much of the "axis of evil" as of a certain Pak Doo Ik. He was the man, of course, who scored North Korea's winning goal in one of the all-time giant-killing feats when the DPRK (North Korea to you) beat Italy at the 1966 World Cup finals in England.
These days, communist North Korea remains one of the most secretive, most tightly controlled and poorest countries in the world, one which furthermore has been accused of systematic human rights abuses as well as amassing a nuclear arsenal. When George W Bush spoke of "outposts of tyranny" in his inaugurual speech last month, North Korea was on his mind.
Now we all know there is nothing better for bucking up a badly dinted public image than sporting success. So it is that tomorrow the footballing men from North Korea set out on the road to Germany 2006, hoping to emulate the feats of Pak Doo Ik and friends almost 40 years ago. (Having defeated Italy, the North Koreans went on to the quarter-final, going out in another all-time great game when losing 5-3 to Portugal, despite leading 3-0 after 24 minutes).
Having qualified from Group Five in the Asian zone second stage of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, North Korea find themselves in a final qualifying group with Iran, Bahrain and Japan. The winners of this group, with the winners of the other final group (Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait), qualify for Germany next year.
Destiny would have it North Korea start their run down to the German wire against Japan. The thorny issue of Japan's brutal colonisation of the Korean peninsula between 1910 and 1945 means relations between Tokyo and Pyongyang have oft been strained. Nor were they much improved by more recent revelations that the North Koreans had kidnapped Japanese citizens decades ago to help train their spies.
As the two sides prepare to meet in Saitama, Japan, tomorrow, there is tension in the air - 3,500 police and security officials are on hand to guarantee the North Korean team's safety, whilst a buffer zone of empty seats will separate the fans.
Even if there were schoolgirls, some of them wearing traditional Korean dress, at Narita airport to greet the North Koreans yesterday, not everyone may feel so charitably disposed towards the visitors. One man with inside knowledge of both camps is Japan-based North Korean An Yong-hak who plays with Nagoya Grampus in the J-League. Understandably, he was trying to look on the bright side yesterday, saying: "It's not a war. I know there are problems between Japan and North Korea but this match could have a positive effect".
Apart from An and Ri Han-jae, who also plays in the J-League, the North Korea squad consists mainly of members of the army team, "4.25" - apparently named after the date on which the Korean People's Army was founded.
Reports suggest North Korean preparations for this game have been without precedent. The squad have been in an intensive training camp in southern China, where they travelled in blacked-out buses to secret training venues. Furthermore, the North Korean government has admitted just how much football success might matter.
In a recent interview with the state-run KCNA agency, Ri Hi-yon, vice-director of North Korea's physical culture and sports guidance commission, said: "The government gives them (the players) a colossal sum of money, modern houses and luxurious cars."
What a "colossal sum of money" constitutes in today's North Korea is not clear. Yet, it is obvious the North Koreans mean business and have plenty of reasons for being motivated about their Germany campaign.
Speaking in Saitama yesterday, coach Yun Jong-su said: "The players are in good shape. We've had a lot of training over the past few weeks and we are eager to show what we can do against Japan."
Given those black and white memories of the 1966 finals, no one will be taking them for granted if they do make it to Germany 2006.
