Resurfacing in Style: Han Kwang Song's Spectacular Comeback Goal in World Cup Qualifier

North Korean striker Han Kwang Song, who had been absent from world soccer for over three years, has made a comeback by representing his country in two recent World Cup qualifiers and scoring in the 6-1 victory over Myanmar on Tuesday.

Alberto Mier/CNN

This North Korean player stunned the soccer world - then disappeared

Han made his debut for the Chollima against Syria on November 16, wearing the white away uniform with the North Korean flag on his chest and the number 10 on his back. Despite the loss, North Korea went on to secure a dominating win against Myanmar, with Han scoring a powerful header in the 38th minute at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon as they aimed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time.

Following his last game for Qatar club Al-Duhail on August 21, 2020, the young striker - who gained international recognition through his stints with various Italian soccer teams - disappeared without a trace.

A CNN investigation revealed that he was deported from Qatar in early 2021 and had sought refuge at an undisclosed North Korean embassy in Rome until flights back to Pyongyang resumed this August. The circumstances of his return home remain unclear.

The North Korean football federation, along with the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, did not respond to CNN's request for comment regarding Han's return to international football. The return of the North Korean prodigy has come as a surprise to soccer experts and fans, who were concerned about his safety and potential career being abruptly interrupted.

Max Canzi, the former coach of Han at Serie A club Cagliari's Under-19 team, expressed his happiness at the striker's return. "I am very curious to see how he performs after being out for so long," Canzi told CNN Sport, upon hearing about Han's reappearance in the match against Syria.

Hans' former teammate Nicholas Pennington at Cagliari told CNN Sport that he hopes Han stays in the spotlight and that the concern for his situation will help him get back to where he should be.

Also listed in the roster for North Korea's World Cup qualifiers against Syria and Myanmar were Pak Kwang Ryong and Choe Song Hyok, who played for Austria's SKN St. Pölten and Italy's SS Arezzo, respectively, until they were forced to stop due to UN sanctions that required the repatriation of all overseas North Korean workers by the end of 2019.

Han played for North Korea against Syria and Myanmar in November.

Alberto Mier/CNN

Where in the world was Han?

Han made history in 2017 as the first North Korean to score a goal in one of Europe's top five soccer leagues. Following this achievement, he made a surprising move to Italian powerhouse Juventus in 2019 before transferring to Qatar's Al-Duhail. Hailing from Pyongyang, the talented young striker garnered attention for his exceptional skills and not just for his background.

Hans's career was abruptly halted when he vanished from the global soccer scene in 2020, sparking speculation among fans about his whereabouts. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had imposed sanctions on North Korea following its sixth nuclear test in 2017, impacting Hans's career.

Member states were directed by the sanctions to bring back all North Korean workers in their territories due to worries that money was being sent to fund Kim Jong Un's nuclear and weapons projects. The deadline for repatriation was set at the end of 2019 by the UNSC resolution.

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in North Korea completely closing its borders, preventing Han and other repatriated North Korean nationals from being able to go back home.

Video Ad Feedback

Mystery surrounding North Korea's Han Kwang Song

03:21

- Source:

CNN

He was scheduled to leave Qatar in 2021 as per UN sanctions, but he disappeared. A CNN report on his case revealed new details about his sudden absence.

Upon joining Al-Duhail in January 2020 during the Qatar Stars League 2019/20 season, Han participated in 10 league matches, scoring three goals and contributing significantly to the team's league title victory.

Qatar signed a five-year, $4.6 million (€4,310,000) contract with North Korean player Han until the 2023/24 season. He received approximately $296,200 (€270,000) between February and April 2020, as reported by the UNSC Panel of Experts in mid-2020. Despite his strong performance, concerns arose about whether he was sending funds back to North Korea, similar to other North Korean workers abroad, as noted by the UNSC.

Han's signature on a pledge to a Qatari bank indicates his commitment to refrain from transferring any funds to North Korea under any circumstances. Despite uncertainty surrounding Han's own actions, there are numerous reports of North Korea compelling its overseas workers to send money back to the government.

Han won the Qatar Stars League title in the 2019/20 season before vanishing from the soccer pitch.

The UNSC Panel of Experts released another report in March 2020, stating that they are investigating North Korean nationals believed to be earning income abroad, including "specialists, such as sports players."

Hans' final appearance for Al-Duhail was on August 21, 2020, when he substituted in against Al-Ahli in the season's closing match. It marked the end of his professional career in soccer, as he was absent from the starting line-up or bench when the new season began the following month, with no updates about a potential transfer.

Hans' whereabouts remained unknown for months until a UNSC final report from the Panel of Experts in March 2021 revealed that his contract with Al-Duhail had been terminated earlier that year and he had been deported from Qatar.

According to a letter included in the UNSC's final report, Hans was deported from Doha on January 26, 2021, boarding a Qatar Airways flight.

Han was unable to return home due to North Korea's border closure during the pandemic, so the flight brought him back to Rome. Prior to playing for North Korea against Syria in the recent World Cup qualifier, Han was known to be staying at an undisclosed North Korean embassy in 2021, waiting for flights to resume to Pyongyang, as per another official familiar with the situation.

Han had spells at three Italian clubs: Perugia, Cagliari and Juventus.

Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images

Sporting isolation

North Korea's withdrawal from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Tokyo Summer Olympics, and the Beijing Winter Games was officially attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result of its unilateral decision to drop out of the Tokyo Games, North Korea was barred from competing at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2021.

The country, which was already isolated, had completely closed its borders when the pandemic started in 2020. Recently, it finally eased the restrictions to repatriate its citizens living overseas, including Han, who had been stranded and unable to return home during this entire period.

In September of last year, Pyongyang sent a significant number of athletes to Hangzhou, China for the 2022 Asian Games, which was delayed by a year because of the pandemic. In contrast to the women's team, who made it to the soccer final before losing to Japan, the North Korean men's national team has not performed well in international competitions.

The women's team will be remembered for their impressive campaign, including a notable 4-1 victory against South Korea. However, the men's team had an embarrassing exit, receiving six yellow cards and confronting the referees after their 2-1 loss to Japan in the quarterfinals.