April 25 Sports Club Explained

Clubname:April 25
Fullname:April 25 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
Season:2023–24
Position:1st of 12 (Champions)
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Hangul:4.25
Hanja:4.25
Rr:Sa io cheyukdan
Mr:Sa io ch'eyuktan
Context:north

April 25 Sports Club (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.

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

[15]

Continental history

Season[16] CompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
1985–86[17] Asian Club ChampionshipQualifying Tournament
East Asia 1		 Seiko4–11–22nd
Liaoning3–10–0
1986[18] Asian Club ChampionshipFirst round group 7 Liaoning0–00–10–1
1987[19] Asian Club ChampionshipQualifying Round
Group 5		 August 10–23rd
Hap Kuan2–1
1988–89[20] Asian Club ChampionshipQualifying Round
Group 6		 South China3–01st
Wa Seng4–0
Guangdong Wanbao1–0
Yamaha Motors3–1
Semi Final League
Group B		 Mohammedan0–13rd
Al-Sadd1–2
Al-Ettifaq1–1
Pahang FA2–0
1990–91[21] Asian Club ChampionshipQualifying Round
Group 7		 Nissan Yokohama1–01st
Liaoning1–0
Group B Esteghlal Tehran1–22nd
Mohammedan0–0
Bangkok Bank4–3
Semi Final Liaoning0–3—
Third Place Pelita Jaya2–2 (6–7 pen.)Fourth Place
1991[22] Asian Club ChampionshipGroup B Al-Hilal0–23rd
Esteghlal Tehran1–1
2017[23] AFC CupGroup I Erchim6–05–01st
Kigwancha2–21–1
Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final Bengaluru FC0–00–30–3
2018AFC CupGroup I Hwaebul SC1–02–01st
Hang Yuen5–15–1
Benfica de Macau8–02–0
Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final Home United9–12–011–1
Inter-Zone Play-off Final Altyn Asyr2–21–13–3 (a)
2019AFC CupGroup I Hang Yuen5–00–31st
Kitchee2–01–0
Tai Po4–01–3
Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final Dhaka Abahani2–03–4 5–4
Inter-Zone Play-off Final Hà Nội0–02–22–2 (a)
Final Al-Ahed0–1

Honours

Domestic

Continental

Invitational

Women's football

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] 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.[31]

Achievements

1

Champions: 2015

2

Champions: 2008

Third place: 2015

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Watts. Jonathan. World Cup 2010: Why North Korea are in a league of their own. June 24, 2015. The Guardian. June 20, 2010. 19 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170919233908/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/20/north-korea-world-cup-army. live.
  2. Web site: 사이오체육단(四二五體育團) . 19 November 2019 . 15 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200915074349/http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0074284 . live .
  3. Web site: 체육선수단 . 19 November 2019 . 15 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200915021329/http://nk.chosun.com/bbs/list.html?table=bbs_27&idxno=3330&page=9&total=214&sc_area=&sc_word= . live .
  4. Most South Korean press reported that On 25 June 1971, club name was changed to April 25 Sports Club
  5. Web site: 4.25체육단 . 19 November 2019 . 25 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210425060328/https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1993022200329121007&editNo=15&printCount=1&publishDate=1993-02-22&officeId=00032&pageNo=21&printNo=14680&publishType=00010 . live .
  6. Web site: On the Tasks Facing the April 25 Sports Team. https://web.archive.org/web/20150316100633/http://www.korea-dpr.com/lib/Kim%20Jong%20Il%20-%202/ON%20THE%20TASKS%20FACING%20THEAPRIL%2025%20SPORTS%20TEAM.pdf. dead. March 16, 2015. korea-dpr.com. November 14, 2018.
  7. Web site: A Few Facts on North Korea's Army Day. February 1, 2018. 38 North. November 14, 2018. 9 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191109212924/https://www.38north.org/2018/02/rcarlin020118/. live.
  8. https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1990051100209212001&editNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1990-05-11&officeId=00020&pageNo=12&printNo=21114&publishType=00020 金正日(김정일)권력승계 큰 變數(변수) 「軍部(군부)장악」유난히 강조
  9. Web site: 건군절 변천사와 김정은의 고뇌 . 19 November 2019 . 2 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190902192029/https://www.dailynk.com/%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C-%EC%96%B4%EC%A0%9C%EC%99%80-%EC%98%A4%EB%8A%98-%EA%B1%B4%EA%B5%B0%EC%A0%88-%EB%B3%80%EC%B2%9C%EC%82%AC%EC%99%80-%EA%B9%80%EC%A0%95%EC%9D%80%EC%9D%98-%EA%B3%A0%EB%87%8C/ . live .
  10. Web site: North Korea – List of Champions. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 2 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190502193347/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesn/nkorchamp.html. live.
  11. Web site: Newstream – KCNA Watch. KCNA Watch.co. November 14, 2018. 26 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180226032627/https://kcnawatch.co/newstream/1451904168-357901124/premier-league-football-matches-end/. live.
  12. https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1988122400329210001&editNo=3&printCount=1&publishDate=1988-12-24&officeId=00032&pageNo=10&printNo=13309&publishType=00020「키크기운동」국가기준치 미달때 北韓(북한)에선 大學(대학)입학·軍(군)입대 보류
  13. Web site: <北韓의 實相>...(39) 체육 . 19 November 2019 . 7 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207130143/https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/001/0003739954?sid=100 . live .
  14. Web site: The Chosun Jørn: Can Jørn Andersen Make Sense of North Korean Football? . 13 June 2017 . 20 November 2019 . 23 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190423100141/https://worldfootballindex.com/2017/06/north-korea-football-jorn-andersenn/ . live .
  15. Web site: The AFC. www.the-afc.com. 14 November 2018. 10 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180710133508/http://www.the-afc.com/teamsandplayers/team?season=2018&competition=821&team=5627. live.
  16. Web site: Decision by Competitions Committee & Executive Committee for AFC Club Competitions. https://web.archive.org/web/20180717012947/http://www.the-afc.com/en/resources/regulations-a-guidelines/competition-regulations/2012/336-decision-by-competitions-committee-a-executive-committee-for-afc-club-competitions/download . dead . July 17, 2018 . The-AFC.com . Asian Football Confederation. PDF . January 25, 2012.
  17. Web site: Asian Club Competitions 1985/86. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 7 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121007003106/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup86.html. live.
  18. Web site: Asian Club Competitions 1985/86. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 7 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121007003106/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup86.html. live.
  19. Web site: Asian Club Competitions 1987/88. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 27 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221027141156/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/ascup88.html. live.
  20. Web site: Asian Club Competitions 1988/89. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 27 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221027141149/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/ascup89.html. live.
  21. Web site: Asian Club Competitions 1990/91. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 14 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221214034806/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/ascup91.html. live.
  22. Web site: Asian Club Competitions 1991/92. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304233851/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup92.html. live.
  23. Web site: Asian Club Competitions 2017. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 6 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230206145851/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/ascup2017.html. live.
  24. http://www.indianfootball.de/data/dcmtrophy.html List of winners and runners-ups of the DCM Trophy
  25. Web site: Majumdar. Raunak. The DCM Trophy- Oldest Indian Tournament with International Exposure. 31 May 2019. 4 December 2021. chaseyoursport.com. Chase Your Sport. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210703131553/https://www.chaseyoursport.com/Indian-Football/DCM-Trophy-in-India/819. 3 July 2021. dead.
  26. Web site: North Korea – List of Women Champions. RSSSF. November 14, 2018. 6 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191206004149/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesn/nkor-womchamp.html. live.
  27. Web site: National Championships top annual sporting calendar off with new records. The Pyongyang Times. November 2, 2017. December 3, 2017. Ri Sung Ik. https://web.archive.org/web/20171204114543/http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/?page=Sports&no=25372. December 4, 2017. dead.
  28. News: North Korean "April 25" Basketball Team to assist Mongolia's national team. June 24, 2015. infoMongolia.com. May 7, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20160311130824/http://www.infomongolia.com/ct/ci/5959/North%20Korean%20%22April%2025%E2%80%9D%20Basketball%20Team%20to%20assist%20Mongolia%E2%80%99s%20National%20Team. March 11, 2016. dead.
  29. Book: Müller, Stephan . International Ice Hockey Encyclopedia 1904–2005 . 2005 . Books on Demand . Germany . 485.
  30. News: Winners of "Spring Best" Open Volleyball Tournament. June 24, 2015. infoMongolia.com. March 3, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20160311130826/http://www.infomongolia.com/ct/ci/5806. March 11, 2016. dead.
  31. News: Hoang Quynh. North Korea's 4.25 dethrones Lien Viet at volleyball championship. June 24, 2015. Thanh Nien News. March 31, 2015. 11 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150411143356/http://www.thanhniennews.com/sports/north-koreas-425-dethrones-lien-viet-at-volleyball-championship-40496.html. live.

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