Kigwancha Sports Club

Kigwancha Sports Club or Kigwancha Sports Team (Korean: 기관차체육단; 'locomotive'), known as Sinuiju Locomotive Sports Club is a North Korean multi-sports club belonging to the Korean State Railway and based in Sinuiju. It was established on 11 January 1956, and has been awarded the Order of Kim Il-sung and the Order of the National Flag (First Class).^[2] The club is best known for its men's and women's football teams.

Kigwancha

Full name	Kigwancha Sports Club
Nickname(s)	Sinŭiju Locomotive Sports Club
Founded	11 January 1956; 68 years ago (1956-01-11)[1]
Ground	Sinuiju Stadium
Manager	Han Won-chol
League	DPR Korea Premier Football League
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Kigwancha Sports Club
Chosŏn'gŭl	기관차체육단
Hancha	機關車體育團
Revised Romanization	Gigwancha cheyukdan
McCune–Reischauer	Kigwanch'a ch'eyuktan
lit. Locomotive Sports Club

Kigwancha's men presently play in the DPR Korea Premier Football League, and won several championships in the late 1990s. The club finished third in the 2006 season.^[3] They have taken part in continental competition once, finishing second in its group in the group stage of the 2017 AFC Cup.^[4]

Known players (including former players)

• Li Chan-myung
• Pak Chol-ryong
• Pak Kwang-ryong

Managers

• Ku Jong-nam (before 2014)
• Han Won-chol (since 2014)

Continental history

Season[4]	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Position
2017	AFC Cup	Group I	Erchim	7–0	3–0	2nd
			April 25	2–2	1–1

Achievements

• DPR Korea League: 9

1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2016

1995, 2006, 2012

• Hwaebul Cup: 2

2015

4th 2017

• Man'gyŏngdae Prize: 5

2004, 2005

2015, 2016

2014

• Paektusan Prize: 1

2012

• Poch'ŏnbo Torch Prize: 3

2007

2010, 2016

Other sports

The club also has basketball and volleyball teams.^[5][6] Athletes representing the club also play tennis.^[7]

References

1. "Kigwancha Sports Team Successful in 2013". Korean Central News Agency. 25 February 2014. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
2. "Anniversary of Kigwancha Sports Team Marked in DPRK". Rodong Sinmun. 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
3. Эпштейн, Арнольд. Северные корейцы учат русский, стоят на голове и ждут документы с родины (in Russian). Спорт-Экспресс. Retrieved 29 October 2006.
4. "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.
5. Yang Ryon Hui (2 November 2017). "National Championships close". The Pyongyang Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
6. Jong Tang Song (12 October 2017). "National Championships go on". The Pyongyang Times. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
7. 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.

External links

Documentary on YouTube (in Korean)