Kim Jong-hun (footballer)

For the footballers of the same name, see Kim Jung-hoon (footballer, born 1989) and Kim Jeong-hoon (footballer, born 1991).

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.

Kim Jong-hun

Personal information
Date of birth	(1956-09-01) September 1, 1956
Place of birth	Pyongyang, North Korea
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Sobaeksu
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	April 25 Sports Club
International career
1973–1985	Korea DPR	4	(0)
Managerial career
0000–2007	April 25
2007–2010	Korea DPR
2011–	Sobaeksu
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kim Jong-hun
Hangul	김정훈
Hanja	金正勳
Revised Romanization	Gim Jeong-hun
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Chŏng-hun

Kim Jong-hun (김정훈; born September 1, 1956) is a retired North Korean footballer and football manager. He served as head coach of the North Korea national team, and managed them at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Biography

As a player, Kim Jong-hun has spent his career at April 25 Sports Club. He was capped four times for North Korea during the qualifications for the 1974 and 1986 FIFA World Cups.

After ending his player career, Kim became a manager. He managed April 25 Sports Team until 2007, when he became the manager of North Korea national team. In 2009, he led the team as it qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, their first since 1966.

After a disappointing showing at the World Cup, Kim faced harsh criticism upon his return to North Korea. Radio Free Asia reported that he was publicly shamed and condemned for hours in front of 400 people, including the North Korean sports minister.

At the same event, the team members were commanded to individually criticize their coach, who was accused of betraying General Kim Jong-un, the country's heir apparent. The report also mentioned that he had been stripped of his membership in the Workers' Party of Korea and forced to work hard labor on a construction site as punishment. It is however unknown whether Kim was really faced with such a violating punishment, as far as DPRK has its information mostly closed from the other world. Little is known about Kim Jong-hun's current (by February 2024) occupation, probably due to the same reason.