North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has reportedly imposed a ban on the broadcast of Tottenham Hotspur matches in the country due to the presence of South Korean captain Son Heung-min.
This revelation comes from a report by the UK Sun.
Kim Jong-Un, a known football enthusiast and an ardent supporter of Manchester United, has long maintained a policy against airing matches featuring South Korean players.
The latest move means that North Korean audiences will be unable to watch Manchester United’s Premier League clash against Tottenham this Sunday.
This is not the first instance of such restrictions.
Last season, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ matches were similarly blacklisted due to the inclusion of South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan in their squad.
Brentford also faced a similar fate as their South Korean defender Kim Ji-soo became a reason for their exclusion from North Korean broadcasts.
Premier League broadcasts in North Korea are heavily censored. Match durations are often cut from 90 minutes to just 60, and games are not shown live.
Instead, they are aired only after news bulletins, sometimes delayed by as much as four months from the actual event.
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The North Korean leader’s decision continues to highlight the country’s strict stance on international broadcasts and its broader political tensions with South Korea.
While Manchester United remains Kim Jong-Un’s preferred club, his strict policies prevent him and his countrymen from fully engaging with the global football scene.
As the Premier League season progresses, it remains to be seen whether North Korea will expand its censorship policies to other clubs with South Korean players or reconsider its stance on sports broadcasting.