Mun Ki-nam

Mun Ki-nam
Personal information
Date of birth 1948
Place of birth Chongju, North Pyongan, North Korea
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1965–1976 Rodongja
Unpasan
International career
1965 North Korea U20
1969–1979 North Korea
Managerial career
Unpasan
1990 North Korea U20
1991 Korea U20 (assistant)
North Korea women
1999–2000 North Korea
2005–2009 University of Ulsan
2010– Ulsan College women
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
Mun Ki-nam
Chosŏn'gŭl
문기남
Hancha
Revised RomanizationMun Ginam
McCune–ReischauerMun Kinam

Mun Ki-nam (Korean문기남; born 1948) is a South Korean former footballer and football manager. Mun was born in North Korea but defected to South Korea in 2004.

Early life

Born in Chongju, North Pyongan, the details of Mun's childhood are unclear.[2] In a 2004 interview with The Dong-a Ilbo, Mun states that his father defected to South Korea during the Korean War, and that this had a negative impact on his life growing up in The North.[3] He also stated that part of the reason for his defection to The South was to find his father, as well as his uncles.[3] However, in another 2014 interview with Seoul Shinmun, he states that his father was executed for opposing the Communist Party when Mun was three years old.[2]

Regardless, Mun moved to capital city Pyongyang at some point during his youth, either living with his mother and her new husband,[3] or with his mother-in law.[2]

After the Korean axe murder incident of 1976, people deemed "dangerous elements" were forced to relocate from major North Korean cities to the countryside, including Mun.[3]

Playing career

Mun represented the North Korea national football team between 1969 and 1979.[1] He was also called up for North Korea at the 1974 Asian Games.[4]

Managerial career

Mun began his managerial career by coaching the North Korea national under-20 football team at the 1990 AFC Youth Championship.[5] He also served as a coach of the unified Korea team at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship.[5]

Defection and later life

After working at the DPR Korea Football Association's office in Gyeonggi, Mun defected to South Korea via China in January 2004 with his wife and four children.[1][6] He went on to manage the University of Ulsan football team.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c "北축구대표팀 이끌었던 문기남 울산대 감독" [Ulsan University coach Moon Ki-nam, who led the North Korean national football team]. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 16 July 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "김정일 후계자 당시 "공 잘 차면 되지 무슨 마르크스주의"" [At the time of Kim Jong-il’s successor, “What Marxism is if you kick the ball well”]. Seoul Shinmun (in Korean). 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "지난해 脫北한 前북한축구대표팀감독 문기남씨" [Mun Ki-nam, former coach of the North Korean national football team, who went back to North Korea last year]. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 15 June 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  4. ^ "북괴선수 명단 밝혀져 - 제7회 아주경기대회" [List of North Korean players revealed]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 24 August 1974. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "<전국체전> 북한 축구 이끌었던 문기남 울산대 감독" [<National Sports Festival> Ulsan University coach Moon Ki-nam, who led North Korean soccer]. sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). 20 October 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  6. ^ "前 북한축구대표팀 감독 망명…中거쳐 올1월 입국" [Former North Korean national football team coach exiled... Arrived in January this year via China]. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 11 March 2004. Retrieved 29 December 2021.