Colours: All red
Nickname: Chollima (Mythical Korean winged horse)
Previous World Cup appearances: one
Best World Cup performance: Quarter-finals, 1966
Coach: Kim Jong-hun
Talking points:
North Korea's return to the World Cup finals has rekindled memories of their dream run to the quarter-finals in 1966 in England. However, it is their behaviour off the field that is likely to draw most attention. In a controversial qualifying campaign, the North refused to play the South's anthem or raise the South's flag in Pyongyang, forcing their matches to be moved to Shanghai. They also protested to FIFA that their players were poisoned before a match in Seoul. Tension between the two countries rose this week when South Korea accused the North of torpedoing one of its warships.
Player to watch:
Jong Tae-se. Dubbed the "People's Wayne Rooney" by Asian media, Jong's bustling, all-action style keeps defenders on their toes for 90 minutes. The Japan-based striker is the North's main scoring threat and needs no invitation to have a crack at goal. (Compiled by Peter Rutherford in Singapore; Editing by Robert Woodward; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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