North Korean TV Mosaics Lee Kang-in's Goal Scene… Reluctance to Expose Korean Players

North Korea's Chosun Central TV was caught censoring the goal scene of Lee Kang-in, a South Korean player belonging to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), by applying a mosaic during the recorded broadcast of the FIFA Club World Cup match in 2025.

Censorship Action

On the 16th (Korean time), Chosun Central TV aired a recorded broadcast of the group stage match between PSG and Atlético Madrid (Spain) held at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles, USA on the 20th.

In this match, Lee Kang-in scored a penalty goal, but North Korean broadcasting applied a mosaic to the scene, making it impossible for viewers to identify him.

Aimed at Minimizing Exposure of South Korean Athletes

This action is analyzed as part of North Korea's intentional information control policy, aimed at minimizing the exposure of South Korean players active on the international stage to North Korean residents.

Chosun Central TV has previously refrained from reporting anything about the South Korean national team until they were eliminated in the FIFA World Cup broadcasts.

Similarly, during broadcasts of European football leagues like the English Premier League (EPL), matches involving teams with South Korean players have deliberately been excluded from the broadcasting schedule.

Moreover, during sports broadcasting, there are instances of blocking advertisements from South Korean companies like Hyundai Motor and hiding the Taegeukgi, showing a thorough effort to block any information related to South Korea from North Korean viewers.

Image source: gettyimageskorea, Kim Jong-un, North Korean Supreme Leader / gettyimageskorea