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Move Along, Nothing to See Here: The eponymous Thomas Awe inspires my, well, great interest, with this first-hand report from the Great Pyongyang Soccer Riot:
Arriving in Pyongyang for his third visit on March 29, Awe found himself caught in the center of a violent mob the following day as North Korean fans rioted during a football match with Iran at Kim Il-sung Stadium. “It was a very dangerous situation,” the 51-year-old said during an interview at his office in Seoul.
Awe, who was seated in a VIP section together with Iranian supporters, said police and soldiers were unable to control the crowd, which became aggressive after a North Korean player was penalized when the team was already two goals down.
“I hesitate to say that it was the first sign of opposition to (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-il. But the military had no control and no structure of command within the stadium,” said Awe, who has represented the German political foundation in Seoul for two tenures totaling 13 years. “We left very disappointed and scared.”
There’s much more of interest in the article; strongly recommend you read it all.