North Korean footballers get rapturous welcome

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) - North Korea's football team returned home to a rapturous official welcome Saturday, having clinched World Cup qualification for the first time since its memorable 1966 campaign.

Players and coaches were greeted at Pyongyang's airport with a brass band, handed flowers by the waiting crowd, and received congratulations from officials of the isolated communist regime.

After posing for photos, coach Kim Jong Hun lauded his players.

"Our footballers played very well, they had the strong mental power and the devotion of spirit necessary, finally, to get through and qualify for the 2010 World Cup," Kim said on SNTV.

North Korea secured direct passage to South Africa 2010 by drawing away at Saudi Arabia in the final group game of their Asian qualifying group last Wednesday.

It is the first time the country had made it since they stunned the football world by reaching the 1966 quarterfinals. On that occasion they beat Italy and led Portugal 3-0 in their quarterfinal before succumbing to the Eusebio-led side 5-3.

In the 2010 campaign, the team's success was built on impressive defensive cohesion, backed by goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk, who described his role in characteristic North Korean fashion.

"When I was keeping goal, I felt like I was defending the gateway to my motherland," Ri said Saturday.

Among the officials greeting the team at the airport were Yang Hyong Sop, the vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.

However it was not only dignitaries who basked in the team's achievement, but ordinary citizens too.

"The news that our football players qualified this time for the 2010 World Cup is making the whole country full of joy now," said Kim Song Hun.