Soccer match blackout in North Korea draws complaints

Oct. 14 (UPI) -- A soccer match between South and North Korea in Pyongyang will not be aired live in the South despite multiple requests.

The game in North Korea, the second Asian qualifying round for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, is to take place Tuesday. By late Monday, North Korea had not responded to South Korean requests for live coverage, KBS reported.

The South Korean national team is scheduled to play in Pyongyang without live coverage. No cheering squad for the South will be present at the game, according to the report.

The inter-Korea football match is the first of its kind in 29 years to be held in Pyongyang.

"In order to guarantee universal viewing rights we did our best until the end for a live broadcast of the Pyongyang away game, an event of national interest," said Lee Ki-mun, KBS sports director. "But at this point, our efforts have failed."

KBS had been planning to send staff to Pyongyang as early as August, but North Korea's decision to shut down all working-level communication with the South since late September has affected cooperation on matters like sports and cultural exchange, according to the report.

As an alternative, South Korean networks also requested the North send international or satellite signals to the South, so the live coverage could take place remotely from the South's side. The request was turned down.

Kim Min-jae, a member of the South Korean national team, suggested Monday the game would not be the same without fans in the stadium.

"Wherever we went for an away game, there were always some South Korean fans present," Kim said. "This would be [my] first time playing without fans. Overcoming this [challenge] will help us play a good game."

Yonhap reported Seoul also requested the assistance of the Asian Football Federation following the North's lack of response, but Pyongyang has stayed silent.