April 25 Sports Club

April 25 Sports Club (Korean: 4.25체육단, Sa io ch'eyuktan), shortly 4.25 SC, also known as April 25 National Defence Sports Club (4.25'국방체육단', Sa io ch'eyuktan "Kukpang ch'eyuktan"), is a multi-sports club based in Pyongyang, North Korea, primarily known for its men's and women's football teams. The club belongs to the Ministry of People's Armed Forces;^[1] all members of the professional teams (male and female) are considered officers of the Army.

April 25

Full name	April 25 Sports Club
Founded	March 1947; 77 years ago (1947-03) July 1949; 75 years ago (1949-07) (as Central Sports Training School Sports Club)
Ground	Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang
Capacity	114,000
Owner	Ministry of People's Armed Forces
Chairman	Ri Mun-song
Manager	O Yun-son
League	DPR Korea Premier Football League
2023–24	1st of 12 (Champions)
Home colours Away colours

April 25 Sports Club
Chosŏn'gŭl	4.25체육단
Hancha	4.25體育團
Revised Romanization	Sa io cheyukdan
McCune–Reischauer	Sa io ch'eyuktan

History

The club was established in March 1947^[2] or July 1949^[3] as the Central Sports Training School Sports Club (중앙체육강습소체육단, Chung'ang ch'eyukkangsŭpso ch'eyukdan).

On 25 June 1971^[4][5] or 26 June 1972,^[6] the club's name was changed to its current name; Kim Il Sung's anti-Japanese guerilla army – Joseon People's Revolutionary Army, considered the predecessor of the Korean People's Army, was formed on 25 April 1932.^[7] (Until 1977, the original KPA's official date of establishment was 8 February 1948. However, in 1978, it was changed to 25 April 1932. This change was reverted in 2018.)^[8][9]

The men's football team plays in the DPR Korea Premier Football League, and is the most successful club side in the country, having won 22 national championships.^[10] April 25's home stadium is the Yanggakdo Stadium. In international club competition, home matches are usually played at the Kim Il Sung Stadium. In 2015, April 25 achieved an uncommon feat, when both the men's and women's clubs won their respective national championships.^[11]

Confusion with February 8 Sports Club

February 8 Sports Club and April 25 Sports Club have many similarities, but the North Korean Ministry of People's Armed Forces operates both sports clubs separately.^[12][13] The 2017 editions of the Paektusan Prize and the Mangyongdae Prize were won by April 25 Sports Club, with February 8 Sports Club finishing in second place.^[14]

Rivalries

April 25's primary rival is Amnokgang. Amnokgang belongs to the Ministry of People's Security, and the professional rivalry between the Military and the Police carries over onto the sports field. There is also a strong rivalry with Pyongyang, known as "the Pyongyang Derby".

Current squad

As of 20 February 2018^[15]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  PRK Ri Kwang-Il 2 DF  PRK Jang Kum-nam 3 DF  PRK Ri Hyong-mu 4 DF  PRK Sim Hyon-jin 5 DF  PRK Pak Jin-myong 6 DF  PRK Kwon Chung-hyok 7 MF  PRK O Hyok-chol 8 MF  PRK Han Song-hyok 9 MF  PRK Kim Jong-chol 10 FW  PRK An Il-bom 11 FW  PRK Om Chol-song 12 DF  PRK Kim Chol-bom 14 DF  PRK Son Phyong-il 15 MF  PRK Won Song 16 MF  PRK Yun Il-gwang 17 FW  PRK Kim Ju-song

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 FW  PRK Kim Yu-song 19 MF  PRK So Hyon-uk 20 MF  PRK So Kyong-jin 21 GK  PRK An Tae-song 22 MF  PRK Ri Hyong-jin 24 MF  PRK Choe Jong-hyok 25 FW  PRK Jang Hyok 26 DF  PRK Pak Myong-song 27 MF  PRK Myong Cha-hyon 28 MF  PRK Kim Kuk-bom 29 DF  PRK Pak Song-rok 30 DF  PRK An Song-il 31 GK  PRK Chol-Ryong Son 33 MF  PRK Jong Chung-son 37 DF  PRK Kim Kwang-jin 41 GK  PRK Ha Jin-myong — FW  PRK Han Kwang-song

Continental history

Season[16]	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1985–86[17]	Asian Club Championship	Qualifying Tournament East Asia 1	Seiko	4–1	1–2	2nd
			Liaoning	3–1	0–0
1986[18]	Asian Club Championship	First round group 7	Liaoning	0–0	0–1	0–1
1987[19]	Asian Club Championship	Qualifying Round Group 5	August 1	0–2		3rd
			Hap Kuan	2–1
1988–89[20]	Asian Club Championship	Qualifying Round Group 6	South China	3–0		1st
			Wa Seng	4–0
			Guangdong Wanbao	1–0
			Yamaha Motors	3–1
		Semi Final League Group B	Mohammedan	0–1		3rd
			Al-Sadd	1–2
			Al-Ettifaq	1–1
			Pahang FA	2–0
1990–91[21]	Asian Club Championship	Qualifying Round Group 7	Nissan Yokohama	1–0		1st
			Liaoning	1–0
		Group B	Esteghlal Tehran	1–2		2nd
			Mohammedan	0–0
			Bangkok Bank	4–3
		Semi Final	Liaoning	0–3		—
		Third Place	Pelita Jaya	2–2 (6–7 pen.)		Fourth Place
1991[22]	Asian Club Championship	Group B	Al-Hilal	0–2		3rd
			Esteghlal Tehran	1–1
2017[23]	AFC Cup	Group I	Erchim	6–0	5–0	1st
			Kigwancha	2–2	1–1
		Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final	Bengaluru FC	0–0	0–3	0–3
2018	AFC Cup	Group I	Hwaebul SC	1–0	2–0	1st
			Hang Yuen	5–1	5–1
			Benfica de Macau	8–0	2–0
		Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final	Home United	9–1	2–0	11–1
		Inter-Zone Play-off Final	Altyn Asyr	2–2	1–1	3–3 (a)
2019	AFC Cup	Group I	Hang Yuen	5–0	0–3	1st
			Kitchee	2–0	1–0
			Tai Po	4–0	1–3
		Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final	Dhaka Abahani	2–0	3–4	5–4
		Inter-Zone Play-off Final	Hà Nội	0–0	2–2	2–2 (a)
		Final	Al-Ahed	0–1

Honours

Domestic

• DPR Korea Premier Football League
  • Winners (21): 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23
  • Runners-up (2): 2014, 2016
• Hwaebul Cup
  • Winners (4): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
• Man'gyŏngdae Prize
  • Winners (7): 2002, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
• Paektusan Prize
  • Winners (1): 2017
• Poch'ŏnbo Torch Prize
  • Winners (3): 2005, 2011, 2014
• DPR Korea Championship
  • Winners (3): 2001, 2006, 2011

Continental

• AFC Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2019
• Asian Club Championship
  • Fourth place (1): 1990–91

Invitational

• DCM Trophy
  • Winners (1): 1972^[24][25]

Women's football

Jang Il-ok playing in April 25 Sports Club attire at the 2007 Military World Games

April 25's women's football team is one of the strongest women's football teams in North Korea; they have become national champions at least six times, in 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015.^[11][26]

Other sports

In addition to football, April 25 participates in dozens of different sports, including athletics, ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, and handball.^[27]

Basketball

April 25 has fielded a basketball team. In May 2015, they came to Mongolia to assist in training the Mongolian national team as preparation of the latter's campaign at the 2013 East Asian Basketball Championship.^[28]

Ice hockey

April 25's ice hockey team won the national championship in 1989.^[29]

Volleyball

April 25 has both women's and men's volleyball teams.^[30][31] April 25 participated at the 2015 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup, an invitational tournament in Vietnam. The North Korean club won the bronze medal defeating Vietnamese side, VTV Bình Điền Long An. Their player, Jong Jin Sim was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.^[30]

Achievements

• VTV Bình Điền Cup: 1

Champions: 2015

• VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup: 2

Champions: 2008

Third place: 2015

See also

• February 8 Sports Club

References

1. Watts, Jonathan (20 June 2010). "World Cup 2010: Why North Korea are in a league of their own". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
2. "사이오체육단(四二五體育團)". Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
3. "체육선수단". Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
4. [Most South Korean press reported that On 25 June 1971, club name was changed to April 25 Sports Club
5. "4.25체육단". Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
6. "On the Tasks Facing the April 25 Sports Team" (PDF). korea-dpr.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
7. "A Few Facts on North Korea's Army Day". 38 North. 1 February 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
8. 金正日(김정일)권력승계 큰 變數(변수) 「軍部(군부)장악」유난히 강조
9. "건군절 변천사와 김정은의 고뇌". Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
10. "North Korea – List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
11. "Newstream – KCNA Watch". KCNA Watch.co. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
12. 미달때 北韓(북한)에선 大學(대학)입학·軍(군)입대 보류
13. "<北韓의 實相>...(39) 체육". Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
14. "The Chosun Jørn: Can Jørn Andersen Make Sense of North Korean Football?". 13 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
15. "The AFC". www.the-afc.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
16. "Decision by Competitions Committee & Executive Committee for AFC Club Competitions". The-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
17. "Asian Club Competitions 1985/86". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
18. "Asian Club Competitions 1985/86". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
19. "Asian Club Competitions 1987/88". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
20. "Asian Club Competitions 1988/89". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
21. "Asian Club Competitions 1990/91". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
22. "Asian Club Competitions 1991/92". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
23. "Asian Club Competitions 2017". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
24. List of winners and runners-ups of the DCM Trophy Archived 23 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
25. Raunak, Majumdar (31 May 2019). "The DCM Trophy- Oldest Indian Tournament with International Exposure". chaseyoursport.com. Chase Your Sport. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
26. "North Korea – List of Women Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
27. Ri Sung Ik (2 November 2017). "National Championships top annual sporting calendar off with new records". The Pyongyang Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
28. "North Korean "April 25" Basketball Team to assist Mongolia's national team". infoMongolia.com. 7 May 2013. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
29. Müller, Stephan (2005). International Ice Hockey Encyclopedia 1904–2005. Germany: Books on Demand. p. 485.
30. Hoang Quynh (31 March 2015). "North Korea's 4.25 dethrones Lien Viet at volleyball championship". Thanh Nien News. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
31. "Winners of "Spring Best" Open Volleyball Tournament". infoMongolia.com. 3 March 2013. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2015.

External links

• Kim Jong-il (1972). "On the Tasks Facing the April 25 Sports Team" (PDF). KFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2015.