Pro-Pyongyang group in Japan calls cheering for N. Korean athletes 'patriotic' mission ahead of Asian Games
North Korean athletes attend a welcoming ceremony at the Athlete's Village for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Sept. 22, 2023. Yonhap
A pro-North Korea group in Japan has called for all-out cheering for the North Korean delegation at the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, describing the effort as part of a "patriotic" mission.
North Korea will send some 100 athletes to compete in 14 sports, including football, weightlifting, table tennis and wrestling, at the 2026 Asian Games, to be run from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.
"Cheering for North Korean athletes is not merely a supporting work, but a popular patriotic business publicly showing off Chongryon and North Korean residents in Japan," an article carried by the Choson Sinbo, a Japan-based pro-North Korean newspaper, said Tuesday. Chongryon refers to the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan.
The paper said the Asian Games will offer an opportunity to stir patriotism, pointing to what it called a hostile environment facing Chongryon and North Koreans living in Japan.
It urged Chongryon members to take an active role in grassroots efforts to support the athletes, framing the campaign as a way to show the group's unity and strength to Japan.
The paper reported the previous day that preparations were already underway among Chongryon members across Japan, such as making cheering towels and planning visits to support athletes in person.
Ko Chol-ho, secretary general of North Korea's National Olympic Committee, said in an interview with the paper last month that he hoped the country would win more medals at the upcoming event than it did at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
North Korea's roster for the 2026 Asian Games includes two North Korean athletes from Japan — footballer Ri Song-a and karate practitioner Jong Se-ri.
Chongryon, established in 1955 with a peak membership of some 500,000, is believed to have shrunk significantly since then. The group does not disclose current membership figures.