The North Korea national ice hockey team (Korean: 조선민주주의인민공화국 아이스하키 국가대표팀) is the national men's ice hockey team of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and represent the country in IIHF competition. They withdrew from the 2007 World Championships, and therefore were automatically relegated to Division III in the 2008 edition, where they finished first. They then played in Division II during the 2009 edition, and finished last bringing them back down to Division III for 2010. They are currently ranked 56th in the IIHF World Rankings.[1][2]
Association | Ice Hockey Association of the DPR Korea |
---|---|
Head coach | Yun Pong-chol |
Assistants | Kim Kwang-ho Pak Kun-hyok |
Captain | Hong Chun-rim |
Most games | Kim Kwang-ho (63) |
Top scorer | Hong Chun-rim (48) |
Most points | Hong Chun-rim (80) |
Team colors | |
IIHF code | PRK |
Ranking | |
Current IIHF | 56 11 (28 May 2023)[1] |
Highest IIHF | 36 (first in 2005) |
Lowest IIHF | 56 (first in 2023) |
First international | |
Italy 11–2 North Korea (Grenoble, France; 8 March 1974) | |
Biggest win | |
North Korea 22–1 Mongolia (Yerevan, Armenia; 14 April 2010) North Korea 22–1 Georgia (Luxembourg, Luxembourg; 6 April 2014) | |
Biggest defeat | |
France 24–1 North Korea (Budapest, Hungary; 15 March 1983) | |
IIHF World Championships | |
Appearances | 28 (first in 1974) |
Best result | 21st (1990) |
Asian Winter Games | |
Appearances | 3 (first in 1986) |
Best result | 4th (1986, 1990) |
International record (W–L–T) | |
75–113–6 |
North Korea men's national ice hockey team | |
Hangul | 조선민주주의인민공화국 아이스하키 국가대표팀 |
---|---|
Hanja | 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國 아이스하키 國歌代表팀 |
Revised Romanization | Joseon Minjujuui Inmin Gonghwaguk Aiseuhaki Gukga Daepyo Tim |
McCune–Reischauer | Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk Aisŭhak'i Kukka Taep'yo T'im |
The game of ice hockey in North Korea became popular during the 1950s when Soviet and Chinese workers taught the game and its rules in the capital city of Pyongyang. The Ice Hockey Association of the DPR Korea was founded in 1955. North Korea became a member of the IIHF on 8 August 1964. North Korea's first national championship was held in 1956 and was won by Amnokgang Pyongyang. The North Korea national team did not make its debut until 1974, when it competed in the C pool of the World Championships. The team lost its first game to Italy 11–2 on 8 March 1974, but rebounded for a surprising victory over China.
DPR Korea announced that their men's and women's teams were not going to compete in IIHF competition due to financial reasons. The men's team was scheduled to participate at the Div II championships in Melbourne, Australia, while the women's team was scheduled to participate at the Div II championship in Caen, France. DPR Korea men's team also withdrew from Division III A tournaments in 2022 and 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[3] and therefore has not been active since 2019.
As of 27 April 2019[6]
Opponent | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Armenia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 9 |
Australia | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 30 | 42 |
Austria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
Belgium | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 15 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
Bulgaria | 16 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 43 | 76 |
China | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 47 | 112 |
Denmark | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 52 |
Estonia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
France | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 65 |
Georgia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 9 |
Great Britain | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 24 |
Greece | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 5 |
Hong Kong | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 |
Hungary | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 38 | 71 |
Iceland | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 15 |
Ireland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
Israel | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 31 | 45 |
Italy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
Japan | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 78 |
Latvia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Lithuania | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Luxembourg | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 11 |
Malaysia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
Mexico | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 26 |
Mongolia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 3 |
Netherlands | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 25 |
New Zealand | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 38 | 42 |
Romania | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 51 |
Serbia/ Serbia and Montenegro |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 31 |
South Africa | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 8 |
South Korea | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 64 | 40 |
Spain | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 32 |
Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
Turkey | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 12 |
United Arab Emirates | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 6 |
Ukraine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
Yugoslavia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 38 |
Total | 189 | 71 | 6 | 112 | 733 | 1026 |