N. Korean TV showing games
North Korean state television has aired unprecedented coverage of three World Cup matches as well as snippets from the opening ceremony — but not the games played by wartime enemies South Korea and the United States.
North Korea has a team at the World Cup finals for the first time since 1966, but it has been unclear how closely North Koreans would be able to follow the tournament and their team’s progress.
The communist country has just one state-run TV channel, and foreign radio broadcasts are banned. South Korea’s SBS television, which owns the broadcast rights for the entire Korean peninsula, said it would not feed live coverage to North Korea as in the past due to political tensions.
Still, “World Cup fever” is in full swing in North Korea and among North Koreans living overseas, according to the Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang, Korean-language newspaper published in Japan.
It was not immediately clear how North Korea obtained the footage. SBS said it was looking into the matter.
Conspicuously missing from the broadcasting lineup: games between South Korea and Greece, and the United States and England.
Protest draws police
Armed riot police charged into hundreds of stewards at a World Cup stadium in the early hours this morning to break up a protest about low wages.
Police appeared to set off two percussive grenades, causing loud bangs, to drive the protesters out of a parking lot under the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
There was no immediate word of any injuries or arrests at the protest.
Today’s games
Netherlands vs. Denmark: Despite reaching the finals of the 1974 and ’78 World Cups, the Dutch have only one major title: the 1988 European Championship. Denmark also has a Euro crown, in 1992. The two teams won their qualifying groups with a combined one defeat in 18 games, with the Dutch going undefeated.
Cameroon vs. Japan: Cameroon has had some discord, with former star Roger Milla criticizing current standout Samuel Eto’o. Japan has had no such disharmony. Japan reached the second round when it co-hosted in 2002, but has never won a World Cup match on foreign soil in three previous appearances.
Italy vs. Paraguay: Paraguay President Fernando Lugo sent a letter to the players asking them to play for former striker Salvador Cabanas, who survived a gunshot wound to the head and is still recovering. Italy has won four World Cups, second only to Brazil’s five, and coach Marcello Lippi has returned after leading the Azzurri to the 2006 crown.