Oh Yoon-kyung

Oh Yoon-kyung (; 6 August 1941 – before 2002) was a North Korean football defender and midfielder who played for the national team in the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He made at least 58 appearances for the national team and was given the title of People's Athlete following the World Cup. He also played for 8 August Sports Club in North Korea.

Early life Oh was born on 6 August 1941 in Korea, Empire of Japan, in what became North Korea. In the domestic ranks, he played for the 8 August Sports Club in North Korea's top league.

International career In 1957, the North Korea national football team was re-organized with the goal of competing at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. In 1962, Oh was chosen as one of the best 40 players from the North Korean leagues, whose membership reportedly consisted of over 250,000, to be considered for the national team. The 40 players were enlisted into the Army as military officers, under the leadership of colonel and coach Myung Rye-hyun, and went under strict training for the next four years in preparation for the cup.

Oh, a midfielder and defender, was ultimately chosen as one of 22 players for the World Cup team. By that time, he had been capped for the national team a total of 55 times, according to the Evening Telegraph, although the Sunday Mirror reported it to be 102 caps. Projected as having little chance of success, the team lost their first match, 3–0 against the Soviet Union, before tying Chile 1–1. The Guardian noted that despite how heavily favored Italy was, "Shin Yung Kyoo, Ha Jung Won and Oh Yoon Kyung were the equals of Mazzola, Perani and Barison." In a massive upset, North Korea won 1–0 on a goal by Pak Doo-ik. Oh, however, was one of three – along with Pak Do-ik and Shin Yung-kyoo – to be given the honor of People's Athlete, the most prestigious title awarded to North Korean athletes.

In 2002, the surviving members of the 1966 North Korean World Cup team were interviewed for the documentary film The Game of Their Lives; Oh was deceased by this time.