North Korea at the World Cup #2

I think this will be a regular segment (see first NKatWC here).

Apparently the North Korean "fans" at the World Cup aren't North Korean at all, nor are they fans. They are Chinese, and paid to act like fans. Weird. Read all about it at Deadspin, but in case you worry that Deadspin isn't so reliable, the story was first told in the Telegraph and Reuters.

As one tv anchor who made the trip said:

"When it comes to support in worldwide competitions, Chinese fans will stand for the Asia teams," Bi Fujian, one of the most popular television anchors in China, told Reuters TV before leaving for the trip.

"Not to mention that 60 years ago, China's military forces valiantly crossed the Yalu River to fight alongside the North Koreans against their enemies.

"Sixty years on, we cheer for their football team and hope they will go far."

It makes sense. Our good buddy Kim Jong Il would never allow so many North Koreans out of the country to see that they don't have to live on grass and clay.