North Korea, of course, hasn't sent any fans to South Africa. Such are the restrictions it places on freedom of movement that there is no such thing as a North Korean tourist. And the single, government-run, TV channel rarely broadcasts live international games, perhaps because it risks allowing pictures of people protesting against the country's human rights record onto the airwaves. But citizens who do have access to a TV set - ownership is patchy outside the capital Pyongyang - probably will get to see the games, albeit in recorded form.
The North Korean leader is also, it seems, taking an interest in the progress of the team. According to officials from the North Korean Football Association, Kim Jong-il has given them in-depth guidance and proposed "tactics most relevant for the characteristics of Korean players."
If they do receive a humiliating drubbing it might just mean that the TV schedulers suddenly can't find room for the games after all.
